"The Cardinals will attempt to restore order to their long-scrutinized bullpen by going back to what worked last season and in most of five seasons before that.

The ninth inning again belongs to Jason Isringhausen.

Pitching coach Dave Duncan notified Isringhausen early Monday afternoon that he would regain the role he lost more than two months ago when bruised confidence and a self-inflicted hand wound forced him to the disabled list and out of the role that has netted him 292 career saves.

Several minutes after Duncan approached Isringhausen, manager Tony La Russa called Ryan Franklin into his office to inform Franklin that he would be returning to his former role as Isringhausen's set-up man.

Isringhausen did not say he was surprised by the move but clearly seemed energized by an escape from middle relief.

"This is what I've done for a long time," he said. "Now it's about me going out and doing it. I don't want to go too far beyond that, OK?"

Isringhausen's most recent save came May 5, four days before he landed an open-handed punch to a television in the Miller Park visitors clubhouse. The punch opened a bottle cap-sized wound on the palm of Isringhausen's pitching hand and contributed to him landing on the disabled list May 13.

Franklin, who never laid claim to the permanent job, said he expected the move after several recent late-inning misadventures.

Franklin allowed the New York Mets' Fernando Tatis a game-tying home run in Saturday's 14-inning win two nights after surrendering a game-winning two-run shot to Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun in last Thursday's 4-3 loss.

"In my head, I knew Izzy's the closer and I'm just here to fill in until he got ready, which I think he is," Franklin said. "Everybody knows their roles and that's when I think our bullpen is the best.""