Marlins at Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals have done a good job of staying in the National League Central race despite a rash of key injuries, and they have two of their most important players coming off the disabled list for a three-game series beginning Tuesday against the visiting Miami Marlins. The Cardinals are expected to get a boost from the return of ace right-hander Carlos Martinez and battery mate Yadier Molina (groin) for the series opener.
St. Louis has won six of its last nine games to keep pace with Milwaukee and the surging Chicago Cubs in a tight NL Central race. The Cardinals took three of four from Pittsburgh over the weekend, including a pair of walk-off wins and Michael Wacha’s near-no-hitter in a 5-0 win Sunday. Now they get a struggling Miami team that has lost six straight and nine of its last 10. The Marlins rank last in the NL in numerous offensive categories, including runs with 196, and have the worst team ERA (5.06) in the NL.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FS1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jose Urena (0-7, 4.41 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (3-2, 1.62)
Urena remains winless in 12 starts this season, but he has been a victim of bad luck. The 26-year-old Dominican has posted five quality starts, including last time out at San Diego, where he allowed one run and three this over six innings in a no-decision. Urena is 1-1 with an 8.16 ERA in three starts against the Cardinals.
Martinez was in the midst of a dominant stretch before suffering a strained lat May 8 against Minnesota. The 26-year-old Puerto Rican recorded six straight quality starts, posting a 0.66 ERA over that stretch, before giving up four runs (two earned) in five innings in his last start before hitting the DL. Martinez is 2-1 with a 5.04 ERA in four starts against Miami.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis OF Marcell Ozuna - acquired from Miami in the offseason - has homered in consecutive games and is hitting .457 over his last 12 contests.
2. Marlins 2B Starlin Castro is riding a six-game hitting streak, but he’s 1-for-13 with six strikeouts versus Martinez.
3. Cardinals SS Yairo Munoz is 15-for-37 with 10 RBIs in 11 games since taking over for the injured Paul DeJong as the starting shortstop.