Reds at Cardinals
Ace Adam Wainwright is off to a slow start for the St. Louis Cardinals, but it may not matter considering how his teammates are beating up opposing pitching staffs. Wainwright makes his third attempt to notch his first victory of the young season for the rampaging Cardinals, who host the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday afternoon in the middle contest of their three-game series.
St. Louis continued its offensive barrage by clubbing six home runs - two by Matt Holliday - in Friday's 14-3 demolition of the skidding Reds. The Cardinals have piled up 66 runs during a 6-1 tear and have scored in double digits four times over their last six games. Cincinnati is careening in the opposite direction, losing four in a row following a 5-1 start. Joey Votto's three-run homer on Friday accounted for the only offense for the Reds, who have scored nine runs during their slide.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Brandon Finnegan (0-0, 2.84 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (0-1, 6.55)
Finnegan has deserved a better fate after giving up a two-run homer among three hits in his season debut versus Philadelphia and carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs. He gave up only one hit to the Cubs but struggled with his control, walking five batters en route to a second straight no-decision. Finnegan was rocked in his lone career start versus St. Louis last September, giving up three homers and six runs in five frames.
Wainwright typically displays outstanding control, but that hardly has been the case in his first two outings of the season. The 34-year-old Georgia native escaped with a no-decision versus Philadelphia last time out despite giving up five runs on six hits and five walks over five innings. Wainwright in only 8-9 with a 4.18 ERA in his career against Cincinnati, but he dominated the Reds in 2014 by tossing 15 scoreless innings en route to a pair of victories.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis, which set a Busch Stadium III record with its six homers Friday, already has five pinch-hit blasts on the season.
2. Reds SS Zack Cozart recorded a pair of hits in his return to the lineup after missing two games.
3. Cardinals rookie SS Aledmys Diaz is 11-for-27, with eight of the hits going for extra bases.