Cardinals at Padres
Tommy Pham returned to the lineup after a two-game injury absence and resumed his strong start to the season. Pham homered and scored both runs in the St. Louis Cardinals' series-opening win over the host San Diego Padres, and the team seeks another victory when the four-game set continues on Friday.
Pham went 2-for-4 with his sixth blast of the season in Thursday's 2-1 victory to raise his batting average to .330, which is fourth-best in the National League. St. Louis is hoping its leadoff hitter will ignite a suddenly sluggish offense that has registered just four runs over the last three games. San Diego also is struggling with the bats and has produced just three runs over its last three contests after accumulating just five hits in the opener. Eric Hosmer was hitless in four at-bats on Thursday to fall to 2-for-24 during a seven-game stretch, with both hits being homers.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Luke Weaver (2-2, 5.60 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Lauer (1-1, 5.79)
Weaver is winless over his last four starts and has posted a porous 9.00 ERA during the stretch. The 24-year-old lasted just four innings in his last turn as he gave up four runs and six hits against the Chicago Cubs. Weaver won his lone career start against the Padres when he allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings and matched his career best of 10 strikeouts on August 23.
Lauer is making his fourth career start and is pitching at Petco Park for the first time. The 22-year-old picked up his first career victory in his last turn, when he blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers on seven hits over six innings at Monterrey, Mexico. Lauer has given up 20 hits and walked seven in just 14 innings for a 1.93 WHIP and is allowing opponents to bat .323 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cardinals placed staff ace Carlos Martinez (lat strain) on the 10-day disabled list and recalled fellow RHP Mike Mayers from Triple-A Memphis.
2. San Diego 3B Christian Villanueva is 0-for-26 over his last eight contests.
3. St. Louis INF Matt Carpenter fanned in three of his four hitless at-bats in the opener and is 1-for-21 with nine strikeouts over his last seven games.