Marlins at Cardinals
One day after having a pair of winning streaks halted, the St. Louis Cardinals attempt to begin another one when they host the Miami Marlins on Monday for the opener of their four-game series. St. Louis suffered a 7-2 loss to Washington on Sunday, ending its strings of overall wins and home triumphs at four.
The Cardinals, who fell to 2-1 on their 10-game homestand, managed only five hits in the setback and avoided being shut out when Tommy Pham belted a two-run homer in the eighth inning. Miami halted a four-game skid and avoided being swept by posting a 10-3 victory at Milwaukee on Sunday. Christian Yelich led a 17-hit attack with four while J.T. Realmuto and Marcell Ozuna each recorded three, with the latter driving in four runs with a pair of homers. One of two players who will represent the Marlins when they host the All-Star Game, Ozuna leads the club with 22 blasts - one shy of the career high he set in 2014 and matched last season.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Jeff Locke (0-4, 5.52 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (8-5, 5.17)
Locke has yet to find the win column this season despite allowing three earned runs or fewer in five of his six outings. The 29-year-old native of New Hampshire is coming off a loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday in which he gave up three runs and four hits over 5 2/3 innings. Locke has made 11 career appearances (10 starts) against St. Louis, going 2-4 with a 4.98 ERA.
Wainwright has yielded two runs in each of his last two turns, including a victory at Arizona on Wednesday in which he gave up eight hits and struck out eight over 6 1/3 innings. The 35-year-old Georgian has been superb at home this season, going 5-1 with a 2.64 ERA in eight outings while posting an 8.36 mark over eight road starts. Wainwright is 5-2 with two shutouts and a 2.37 ERA in 11 career games (nine starts) against the Marlins, including a no-decision at Miami on May 9 in which he allowed four runs over 5 1/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Marlins OF Giancarlo Stanton will join Ozuna as the team's All-Star representatives, while C Yadier Molina and RHP Carlos Martinez were the Cardinals selected to the National League squad.
2. The Cardinals acquired 3B Stanley Espinal and SS Imeldo Diaz from Boston, as well as OF Lane Thomas from Toronto, in exchange for cash considerations allotted for baseball's international signing period.
3. Miami, which was swept by St. Louis in a three-game series at home in May, is 1-2 on its 10-game road trip.