CHICAGO -- Seiya Suzuki slowed to a stop after rounding first base and put his hands on his hips, wearing a look of frustration. The Cubs’ right fielder had just launched a pitch high into left-center field, where it dropped into the glove of Brendan Donovan on Wrigley Field’s warning track.

That fifth-inning misfire on Tuesday night came with the bases loaded, ending the frame and continuing a persistent lack of production in key moments for the Cubs’ lineup in recent games. It was one of several missed chances in a 6-4 loss to the National League Central-rival Cardinals, who found the exit ramp in multiple traffic jams.

“Seiya just misses one from being a homer to break the game wide open,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “We just can’t seem to do that right now. It’s a tough stretch.”

Each of the Cubs’ past 10 defeats has been by three runs or fewer, lending to the 6-13 record that has followed Chicago’s impressive 11-6 start. Out of the gates, the North Side nine was firing on all cylinders, operating as one of baseball’s best run-scoring units over the first few weeks.

After a 13-0 romp over the Dodgers on April 21, the Cubs were batting .326/.383/.486 with a 137 wRC+ (37 percent above the MLB average) with runners in scoring position through 19 games. Over the next 16 leading into Tuesday, Chicago hit .191/.280/.235 with an MLB-low 41 wRC+ with RISP.

In Tuesday’s loss to the last-place Cardinals -- who have won three in row for the first time this year -- the Cubs went 1-for-7 with RISP, including 0-for-2 with the bases loaded. St. Louis’ pitching staff issued seven walks and hit a batter, but Chicago was unable to convert any of those baserunners into a run.

“It’s a lot of close games,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “A lot of things that if it kind of falls in our way, we're not having this conversation. It's so easy to kind of -- I don't want to say ‘overreact’ -- but it's so easy to kind of say, ‘What's wrong? What's wrong?’ We're all for making adjustments where things need to be adjusted.

“We're just going to continue to go out and do what we do. And the teams I've been on that have been successful, that's the mentality. You show up tomorrow and go about your business the same way, and things will start to work in our favor.”

It was not all bad for the Cubs’ offense.

Swanson delivered a pair of doubles -- one driving in Nick Madrigal in the first inning -- and a two-run homer. Christopher Morel, who got the start at second base in place of Nico Hoerner (mild left hamstring strain), launched a game-tying homer in the sixth complete with fist pumps, flexing and shouts as he bounded around the bases.

“He’s just a spark,” Ross said.

One inning after that energizing moment, the Cubs loaded the bases. Madrigal was hit by a pitch from Andre Pallante, and after Swanson grounded out, Ian Happ drew a walk. After Cody Bellinger hit into a forceout, Suzuki drew a free pass against reliever Chris Stratton, setting up a crucial at-bat for veteran Eric Hosmer.

Hosmer took a borderline 1-2 fastball from Stratton that flirted with the outside edge -- close enough for home-plate umpire Ryan Wills to deem it strike three. That meant three more runners stranded for a Cubs team that headed into the night with a paltry .206/.189/.382 slash line in 37 plate appearances with the bases loaded this season.

“We've got traffic everywhere, right?” Ross said. “We're doing a lot of things well, and I'm going to continue to try to focus on those things. We're playing great defense. The pitching. The bullpen. The intent is there. The work is there. Balls aren't falling for us right now.

“This is a long season. I know we'll figure this thing out -- too much talent to not. But if a couple more fell tonight… we left some traffic out there.”