Teams coming off three-game sweeps meet in St. Louis on Monday when the Cardinals host the San Francisco Giants in the opener of their four-game series. St. Louis began a stretch of 16 of 19 at home by sweeping a three-game series with Milwaukee. The Cardinals, who have won five of six overall, scored 18 runs in the set while limiting the Brewers to four.
The National League West-leading Giants capped a three-game steamroll over the Rockies at Coors Field on Sunday. San Francisco, which maintained its one-half game division lead over Los Angeles, scored 35 runs in the series after crossing the plate a total of 19 times in its previous eight contests. The Giants have won seven of nine on the road, scoring at least six runs in each victory.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Matt Cain (10-4, 2.82 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Jake Westbrook (10-8, 3.79)
After winning eight consecutive starts from May 12 to June 18, Cain has just one victory in his last seven outings. The 27-year-old suffered a loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday despite allowing only two runs in five innings. Cain evened his career record against St. Louis at 2-2 on May 17, when he yielded four runs over six frames.
Westbrook is coming off his third straight victory, a triumph at Colorado on Wednesday in which he surrendered five runs over six innings. The 34-year-old has won four of his last five starts at home and has worked at least six frames in 10 consecutive outings overall. Westbrook is 0-1 with a 4.67 ERA in three career starts against San Francisco.
WALK-OFFS
1. Giants RF Hunter Pence was 2-for-5 with three RBIs on Sunday after going 2-for-17 over his first four games after being acquired from Philadelphia at the July 31 trade deadline.
2. St. Louis SS Rafael Furcal figures to be back in the starting lineup a day after getting a partial rest. Furcal, who made two straight starts following a five-game absence due to back stiffness, was kept out of the lineup Sunday but appeared as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and remained in the game at shortstop.
3. San Francisco 3B Pablo Sandoval, who is sidelined with a strained left hamstring, is on pace to be activated from the disabled list in about a week.