Padres at Cardinals
The San Diego Padres surprisingly are just five games under .500 as they try to win their three-game series against the host St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. The Padres posted a 4-2 victory in Tuesday's middle contest and have won 10 of their last 14 contests.
Eric Hosmer homered for the second time in three games for San Diego and is batting .310 this month. The real star of the Padres is closer Brad Hand, who is tied for the National League lead with 20 saves after tossing a perfect ninth inning on Tuesday and hasn't been scored upon in 11 of his last 12 appearances. Marcell Ozuna recorded a run-scoring single for St. Louis and is batting .390 with four homers and 12 RBIs this month. The hot-hitting Jose Martinez was hitless in three at-bats after belting five homers over his previous five games.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, FS Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Lauer (2-4, 6.64 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Luke Weaver (3-5, 4.35)
Lauer lost to Miami in his last start as he gave up three runs on six hits and a season-high seven walks in five innings. The 23-year-old was roughed up by the Cardinals on May 11, when he surrendered six runs and seven hits - four homers - over 2 1/3 frames of a 9-5 loss. Lauer has worked five innings or fewer in seven of his nine starts.
Weaver is 2-0 with 12 scoreless innings in two career starts against the Padres, registering 14 strikeouts while allowing seven hits and two walks. The 24-year-old is winless (0-3) in five starts since defeating the Padres on May 11. Weaver came away without a decision against Cincinnati in his last turn as he gave up four runs on seven hits and a season-high five walks in five innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cardinals INFs Paul DeJong and Jedd Gyorko and OFs Harrison Bader and Ozuna homered off Lauer at Petco Park in the May contest.
2. St. Louis RHP Luke Gregerson (knee) underwent arthroscopic surgery and will miss four to six weeks.
3. San Diego OF Franchy Cordero (forearm) is slated to start a rehab assignment at Triple-A El Paso on Thursday, while LHP Joey Lucchesi (hip) is scheduled to start at Single-A Lake Elsinore on the same night.