Matt Holliday’s bases-loaded, first-pitch, ninth-inning pop-up Tuesday night summed up this Cardinals season nicely.

The 2010 Cards failed to capitalize on still another glorious opportunity to further their postseason quest. They just weren’t good enough, again, when the game was on the line.

They fell to the hapless Pirates 4-3, stranding three more runners at the end.

Why can’t this team string together victories against lesser teams and climb back into playoff position?

Short answer: When the Cards need a big hit, too often they fail.

Yes, tactics played a part in this loss. Manager Tony La Russa flogged himself afterward, as Rick Hummel reported from Pittsburgh. La Russa rightfully second-guessed defensive calls that backfired as the Pirates rallied to take a 4-2 lead.

Third base coach Jose Oquendo didn’t second-guess his decision to hold speedy Randy Winn at third base in the ninth inning. Winn, the potential tying run, was stranded when both Holliday and Felipe Lopez popped out with the bases loaded.

It appeared Winn could have scored on Albert Pujols’ single that hit the glove of third baseman Pedro Alvarez and died in shallow left field. Oquendo is usually aggressive in the coaching box – and the Cards often ignore him when he does throw up the stop sign.

The overzealous Cards have run into a lot of outs this season as a result. This time everybody played it safe, with unfortunate results.

All of this merited some spirited post-game discussion here at STLtoday.com.

But we wouldn’t be quibbling about managerial and coaching decisions if the Cards could have gotten ONE MORE BIG HIT when they needed it.

Let’s cut to the ninth inning in Pittsburgh.

Skip Schumaker led off, pinch-hitting for Allen Craig. Earlier this month, Sports Illustrated writer Joe Posnanski dismissed Schumaker as one of baseball’s 10 worst position players.

But Skip is hitting .293 since the All-Star break. Give the guy credit for working his way out of his early-season slump. He lined a single to left field against Pirates closer Evan Meek.

Next up was Winn, who dribbled an pinch-hit infield single through Meek.

This appeared to be just the break the Cards needed to steal this game. The handful of Pirates fans on hand had to have a sinking feeling.

Not trusting the skittish Brendan Ryan in a critical bunt situation, La Russa summoned Aaron Miles to move the runners over. Miles did his job without a hitch.

Jon Jay punched an infield single to the left-side hole, continuing his torrid hitting. He is batting .361, which is not bad for a rookie SI.com writer Joe Sheehan dismissed “as just a tweener having the month of his life.” Maybe, just maybe, Jay is legit.

Next up was Pujols, who battled Meek and ripped that single off Alvarez’s glove. That was a classic at bat. Albert is in full-force destroyer mode these days.

That brought up Holliday with the bases loaded and one out.

On author Buzz Bissinger’s Twitter feed, Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt was dismissed as “cheap.” But DeWitt made a stiff $120 million investment in Holliday to have him hit in just such scenarios.

Yes, Matt is having a strong second half. He smacked a two-run homer earlier Tuesday night. Overall, he has been one of the National League’s top 15 offensive players, despite his so-so start.

But Holliday hasn’t been good enough in key situations. He just hasn't.

He went right after Meek and lifted a foul pop-up. He told Hummel he got the pitch he was looking for and went for it. He would do it again, too.

In this case he just missed it. That happens. But it has happened a lot to Holliday, often at the worst possible time.

He is hitting .314 with the bases empty this season and .254 with runners in scoring position. He is batting .242 with RISP and two outs.

Lopez could have picked up Holliday, but he, too, popped out.

(Felipe was hitting in the No. 5 slot with Colby Rasmus injured and Ryan Ludwick in San Diego, a development Cardinal Nation still can’t come to terms with.)

Felipe wasn’t signed to win games as a big run producer. He was signed to fill in. Circumstances gave him a bigger role than he can handle. Tuesday's 0-for-4 performance underscored that.

Holliday is getting paid the hero dollars and he needs to embrace that responsibility during the final weeks of this chase.