Cardinals at Brewers
Matt Carpenter has pledged to donate $10,000 to the relief fund for the flood-ravaged region of Houston with every homer he hits for the remainder of the season. The Texas native gladly dipped into his wallet after belting a two-run shot in the opener and looks add to that total in the finale of the abbreviated two-game series versus the host Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday afternoon.
Carpenter is batting a robust .320 with four homers and 12 runs scored this season against Milwaukee, but is just 3-for-13 in his career versus Wednesday starter Chase Anderson. Paul DeJong drove in three runs in Tuesday's 10-2 romp while extending his hitting streak to six games for St. Louis, which posted its third win in nine outings to reside five games in back of the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central. Domingo Santana has multi-hit performances in back-to-back outings and in three of his last five for Milwaukee, which has dropped three of five to sit 3 1/2 games behind the Cubs. The 25-year-old Dominican is batting .286 versus Wednesday starter and fellow countryman Carlos Martinez.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (10-9, 3.48 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Chase Anderson (7-3, 2.87)
Martinez held his opponents to three runs or fewer in his fifth consecutive start on Thursday, but a costly error on an attempted double-play ball forced him to settle for a no-decision after seven strong innings versus San Diego. The 25-year-old had won four of his previous five decisions, however the setback in that stretch came at the hands of Milwaukee on Aug. 1. Martinez owns a 1-2 mark versus the Brewers this season after allowing nine runs on 15 hits in 17 12/3 innings.
Anderson sustained his first loss since June 11 on Friday despite yielding two runs in five innings of a 3-1 setback at the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 29-year-old has allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts overall and recorded a pair of no-decisions versus St. Louis earlier this season. Anderson permitted one run in six innings against the Cardinals on April 22 before allowing four in 4 2/3 innings on May 4.
WALK-OFFS
1. Milwaukee LF Eric Thames went deep in the series opener and has five homers versus St. Louis this season.
2. Cardinals OF Randal Grichuk is 2-for-22 with seven strikeouts in his last seven games.
3. Brewers OF Ryan Braun is riding an 11-game hitting streak at home.