Phillies at Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are feeling right at home back at Busch Stadium, and they look to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. The Cardinals have won the first two games of the series - and four straight overall at home - following an 0-6 road trip last week.
Carlos Martinez twirled a four-hit shutout to lead St. Louis to a 7-0 win Saturday. The Cardinals have shut out the Phillies in three of the last six meetings, and they’ll turn to right-hander Adam Wainwright to try to add to that total Sunday. The streaky Phillies have dropped four straight following a four-game winning streak that was preceded by a five-game skid. Philadelphia hopes to have one of its best all-around players back in the lineup after second baseman Cesar Hernandez sat out Saturday with an injury to his left side that he sustained on Friday.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Aaron Nola (3-3, 4.28 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (6-4, 4.82)
Nola snapped a streak of three straight losses with his best outing of the season Tuesday at Atlanta, striking out six while holding the Braves to one run and five hits over eight innings. It was only the third quality start in seven outings this season for the 24-year-old. Nola beat the Cardinals in their only meeting with seven scoreless innings on May 3, 2016.
After a dominant stretch in which he allowed one run in 26 1/3 innings over four straight wins, Wainwright fell apart last time out. The 35-year-old was tagged for nine runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings in a setback at Cincinnati on Tuesday - taking his first loss since April 16. Wainwright is 6-2 with a 2.85 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) against the Phillies.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis 1B Matt Carpenter is 6-for-16 with two home runs since returning to the leadoff spot.
2. Phillies 1B Tommy Joseph is 9-for-24 during a six-game hitting streak.
3. The Cardinals have outscored opponents 28-16 in the first inning and 28-14 in the second inning.