As heated as the rivalry between the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds has been in recent years, it has been one-sided when the teams clash in St. Louis. The Cardinals look to win their ninth straight home series against the Reds when the rivals begin a three-game set Friday at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals are trying to carry over some momentum after winning their second straight series by taking two of three from visiting Milwaukee this week, including a 4-0 win Thursday. The Reds have lost four of five following a 4-0 start and dropped two of three to St. Louis last weekend. "We'll take one day at a time, attack each game with the same intensity, and I think good things will happen," Cincinnati pitcher Jason Marquis told reporters. "It's still early in the year, and we're still finding our way. … We have a good enough team to weather the storm, make adjustments and play some good baseball." Reds ace Johnny Cueto hopes to solve his woes at Busch Stadium, where he is 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA in nine career outings and hasn't won since 2010.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Johnny Cueto (0-1, 0.64 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (1-0, 1.42)
Cueto has been outstanding in his first two starts but is still looking for his first win. He struck out 10 over seven scoreless innings on Opening Day against Pittsburgh but didn't get a decision, and took a hard-luck loss despite allowing two runs (one earned) over seven frames Saturday against the Cardinals. St. Louis has dinged Cueto over the years as he is 5-7 with a 4.01 ERA in 19 career starts against the Cardinals.
Wacha outdueled Cueto on Saturday, limiting the Reds to one run and five hits over 6 1/3 innings. The 23-year-old has been tough at home in his young career, going 7-1 with a 2.31 ERA in 19 games (15 starts) at Busch Stadium. He is 2-1 with a 2.15 ERA in seven games (six starts) against Cincinnati.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cardinals are 20-1-1 in their last 22 home series against the Reds.
2. Reds C Devin Mesoraco has missed the past three games with a hip injury but could return Friday. He is 3-for-8 with a double and a homer versus Wacha.
3. St. Louis CF Jon Jay has put up big numbers against Cueto, going 12-for-27 with a double and three homers.