Cardinals at Brewers
The St. Louis Cardinals will get a look at their No. 1 prospect for the first time since the end of the 2016 season when right-hander Alex Reyes faces the host Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game series. Milwaukee will look to avoid consecutive defeats for the first time since a four-game skid from April 26-29.
Reyes, who missed all of 2017 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, warmed up for his season debut with a pair of 13-strikeout performances at Double-A and Triple-A in his last two rehab stints. Harrison Bader and Francisco Pena each went 3-for-4 with a home run in Tuesday's 6-1 victory for St. Louis, which has split eight games with the Brewers this season. Milwaukee had scored 37 runs during a four-game winning streak before scratching out only three hits to lose for just the fifth time in the last 19 contests. The defeat came at a cost for the National League Central Division leaders as shortstop Tyler Saladino suffered a sprained left ankle and will be heading to the disabled list.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, Facebook Watch
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Alex Reyes (2016: 4-1, 1.57 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Junior Guerra (3-3, 2.98)
Reyes made three of his five starts and seven of his 12 appearances on the road in 2016 but compiled a 3-1 record with a 1.95 ERA while striking out 33 in 27 2/3 innings. Right-handed batters have hit only .170 overall against the 23-year-old, who was untouchable during four rehab starts. Although two of the outings were at Class A, Reyes did not allow a run and yielded seven hits while striking out 44 in 23 innings.
Guerra has rebounded from a pair of clunkers during a three-start losing streak, turning in a solid effort last time out by holding the New York Mets to two runs on five hits over six innings. It marked the seventh time in nine starts this season that he has limited the opposition to two runs or fewer. Matt Carpenter is 4-for-8 against Guerra, who beat the Cardinals by allowing one run in 5 1/3 innings on April 11.
WALK-OFFS
1. Carpenter has hit safely in five straight after homering for the third time in four games.
2. Brewers 2B Jonathan Villar had a pinch-hit, run-scoring double to give him five RBIs in the last three games.
3. Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez will make a rehab start Thursday at Double-A Springfield.