The St. Louis Cardinals are seemingly unstoppable entering the stretch run of the regular season, and are making a habit of hurting other teams’ chances of getting a shot at them in the postseason. The Cardinals aim for their fifth straight victory and a three-game sweep of the visiting Washington Nationals on Wednesday.
After taking two of three from wild-card contender San Francisco last weekend, the Cardinals have damaged Washington’s slim playoff hopes with two straight wins, including a stunning 8-5 comeback victory Tuesday. St. Louis scored twice in the eighth to tie it and won it on Brandon Moss’ walk-off homer to move 40 games above .500. Washington ace Max Scherzer, a St. Louis native, looks to snap a five-start winless streak when he makes his second big-league start in his hometown and his first since a loss in 2008. Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha looks to continue his breakout season when he tries to become the fourth pitcher with at least 16 wins in the majors this season.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN, MASN 2 (Washington), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (11-11, 2.88 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (15-4, 2.69)
Scherzer turns the page on a tough month of August in which he was 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA in five starts. He has lost his last three turns, including a 4-3 defeat against Miami last time out in which he allowed four runs over seven frames. The 31-year-old is 0-2 with a 3.71 ERA in three starts against the Cardinals, including a tough-luck loss April 23 in which he gave up two runs in seven frames.
Wacha has won four straight decisions and posted seven consecutive quality starts. The 24-year-old Texan was hurt by his defense in his last outing, as he allowed four runs - all unearned - in six innings in a no-decision at San Francisco. Wacha beat the Nationals on April 23, holding them to one run and five hits over seven innings to improve to 2-1 with a 0.79 ERA in three meetings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington 2B Anthony Rendon is 15-for-40 with two homers and nine RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak, tied for the longest active run in the National League.
2. St. Louis rookie OF Stephen Piscotty is 16-for-38 with two homers and 11 RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak.
3. Nationals C Wilson Ramos has hit safely in nine straight games, going 13-for-33 with three homers and five RBIs over that stretch.