Reds at Cardinals
After salvaging the finale of their three-game series against one National League Central rival, the St. Louis Cardinals attempt to defeat another when they host the Cincinnati Reds on Monday afternoon for the makeup contest caused by an April 29 rainout. The Cardinals ended a five-game slide at home with Sunday's 8-4 victory over Pittsburgh and look to reach the .500 mark at Busch Stadium, where they are 19-20.
St. Louis' Randal Grichuk was one of three players brought up from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday and paid immediate dividends, going 2-for-5 with a solo home run estimated at 478 feet - the longest by a Cardinal in the 12-year history of the third version of Busch. Cincinnati halted a four-game losing streak Sunday, improving to 2-4 on its seven-game road trip with a 6-2 victory at Washington. Scooter Gennett was the offensive star for the Reds as he went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and his fourth home run in seven contests. The 27-year-old Gennett has gone deep eight times this month and is three blasts away from tying his career high of 14, which he set with Milwaukee last season.
TV: 4:15 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Brandon Finnegan (1-0, 2.70 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (3-3, 4.76)
Finnegan will be making his fourth start of the season and first since April 15 because of a strained shoulder. The 24-year-old Texan has worked a total of three innings over his last two outings due to the injury (one frame against Milwaukee) and lack of effectiveness (four hits and five walks in two frames at Pittsburgh on April 10). Finnegan owns a 2-1 record and 3.13 ERA in seven career appearances (five starts) versus St. Louis.
Wacha worked fewer than five innings for the fifth time in six turns on Wednesday but came away with his seventh no-decision in 10 outings after yielding five runs - two earned - and nine hits over four frames at Philadelphia. The 25-year-old native of Iowa has recorded only one triumph since winning two of his first three starts of the season and has surrendered four or more runs in five of his last six outings. Wacha improved to 7-1 lifetime against the Reds after allowing one run and three hits over six innings en route to victory in his season debut on April 8.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cardinals C Yadier Molina is riding an 11-game hitting streak after going 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored Sunday.
2. In addition to Grichuk, St. Louis recalled RHP Mike Mayers and purchased the contract of 1B Luke Voit while optioning 1B Chad Huffman to Memphis and placing OF Dexter Fowler (heel) and LHP Kevin Siegrist (spine) on the 10-day disabled list.
3. Cincinnati has recorded 10 or more hits in 33 games this season, which is tied for second-most in the National League, but has allowed a home run in a franchise-record 18 consecutive contests.