Cardinals at Braves
After snapping their eight-game losing streak, the host Atlanta Braves try to win Wednesday’s rubber game of their series with the Cardinals and make it five victories in six meetings with St. Louis this season. Atlanta got homers from Michael Bourn and Dan Uggla in Tuesday’s 5-4 win. Uggla has hit in four straight games, notching five RBIs.
St. Louis, 14-12 on the road, could face a bolstered Atlanta lineup Wednesday as Freddie Freeman’s prescription goggles are scheduled to arrive around 8 a.m. The first baseman, who has seven homers and 32 RBIs, has been out of the lineup since Friday because of vision problems.
The Cardinals lead the National League with 66 homers, including Yadier Molina’s solo shot on Tuesday.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), SportSouth (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cards RH Kyle Lohse (5-1, 2.90 ERA) vs. Braves RH Tim Hudson (3-2, 4.12)
Lohse has cooled off after a hot start but pitched well last time out, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits over 6 1/3 innings against the Phillies. Lohse is 3-1 with a 4.56 ERA in nine career starts against Atlanta. Dan Uggla is 4-for-12 with a homer against him, but Michael Bourn (6-for-31, .194) and Brian McCann (4-for-17, .235) have struggled.
Hudson is 3-4 with a 5.59 ERA in 11 career starts against St. Louis. He has endured an up-and-down season, most recently getting tagged for seven earned runs in 6 2/3 innings by the Nationals. Batters are hitting .257 against him. Hudson needs to be careful with NL home run leader Carlos Beltran, who is 26-for-74 (.351) with four homers and 17 RBIs against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cardinals third baseman David Freese missed his second straight game Tuesday with a sore wrist and is day-to-day.
2. The Braves on Tuesday optioned reliever Kris Medlin to Triple-A Gwinnett and scheduled him for three starts there so he can build up his arm strength for a possible move to the rotation.
3. Cardinals leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal went 0-for-5 Tuesday, dropping his average to .332.