Reds at Cardinals
Shortstop Zack Cozart looks to continue a hot start with the bat when his Cincinnati Reds visit the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday afternoon in search of their fourth consecutive victory. The 31-year-old, who has never batted better than .254 in a full season, boasts three straight multi-hit games and is 7-for-13 overall with three RBIs in the early going for the improved Reds.
Cincinnati took the opener of the three-game series 2-0 Friday as left-hander Amir Garrett allowed just two hits over six innings in his major-league debut, Scott Schebler belted a solo homer and Joey Votto added an RBI double. Veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo will make his first appearance on a major-league mound since June of 2014 for the Reds after missing the last two seasons with injuries and will oppose right-hander Michael Wacha, who comes in off a strong spring. The Cardinals have dropped three games in a row, managing just five runs combined, since opening the season with a 4-3 walk-off victory over the world champion Chicago Cubs. St. Louis mustered only two hits in the series opener - one by pitcher Mike Leake - and manager Mike Matheny told reporters, “We just couldn’t get anything going offensively.”
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Bronson Arroyo (2016: NR) vs. Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (2016: 7-7, 5.09 ERA)
Arroyo, who has recorded 145 career victories, adds veteran presence to the young rotation after suffering through Tommy John surgery and setbacks. The 40-year-old owned a 7-4 record and 4.08 ERA with Arizona in his last major-league season in 2014 after winning 105 games from 2006-13 with Cincinnati and making an All-Star Game in his first year with the Reds. Arroyo is 8-17 with a 4.69 ERA in 39 career appearances against St. Louis and has kept Yadier Molina (11-for-55, no homers) under control.
Wacha hopes to return to his 2015 form when he went 17-7 with a 3.38 ERA and struck out 153 in 181 1/3 innings while making the National League All-Star team. The 25-year-old Texas A&M product especially struggled at home last season when he was just 2-4 with a 6.18 ERA at Busch Stadium, but enjoyed a very solid spring (4-0, 2.42 ERA, 26 innings). Cozart is 11-for-23 with three doubles versus Wacha, who is 6-1 (1-0 last year) with a 3.07 ERA in 14 appearances (12 starts) against Cincinnati.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis 1B Matt Adams boasts a .327 average and 11 home runs in 147 career at-bats against the Reds.
2. Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton is 24-for-26 in stolen base attempts against Molina, a Gold Glove catcher, after swiping one Friday.
3. The Cardinals registered 35 homers against the Reds in 2016, their most ever against an opponent in a single season.