Diamondbacks at Cardinals
Sitting one game behind the wild-card leaders, the Cardinals try to make it seven straight over the Diamondbacks when their three-game series resumes Wednesday at Busch Stadium. St. Louis won 8-2 Tuesday in the opener of a nine-game homestand as Matt Holliday belted his 23rd homer. Holliday’s two-run shot gave him 81 RBIs, second-most in the NL behind teammate Carlos Beltran.
The Diamondbacks have dropped four of six to fall to .500 at 57-57, and have lost all four meetings with St. Louis this season. Arizona is slumping despite a surge by catcher Miguel Montero; he’s got six RBIs in his past six games after slugging a two-run homer Tuesday. Sloppy fielding has been a problem for Arizona, which has committed 12 errors in its past eight games.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FSM (St. Louis), FSA (Arizona)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Joe Saunders (6-8, 3.52 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (10-10, 3.90)
Saunders has gone at least six innings in nine straight starts, and has allowed exactly two earned runs in three of his past four outings. He has a 2.49 ERA on the road this year. In two career starts against St. Louis, Saunders is 1-1 with a 6.48 ERA.
Wainwright has produced five straight quality starts, allowing seven earned runs in that span. He’s won three straight decisions. With 137 strikeouts in 145 1/3 innings, Wainwright appears fully recovered from his Tommy John surgery. He’s 4-3 with a 2.48 ERA in nine career appearances against Arizona.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cards have outscored the Diamondbacks 40-19 while winning six straight in the series dating to last season.
2. St. Louis 1B/3B Matt Carpenter has 10 pinch-hit RBIs this season after a two-run double Tuesday.
3. Diamondbacks RF Justin Upton is 5-for-12 with three doubles and three runs scored over his last three games.