Arizona @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2014 ) St. Louis 1, Arizona 0

Having halted their season-high three-game losing streak, the St. Louis Cardinals return home to kick off a nine-game homestand against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. The Cardinals averted a three-game series sweep with a 6-1 victory at in-state rival Kansas City on Sunday and now look to build upon their 15-5 record at home.

St. Louis has dropped nine of 15 games since bolting to a major league-best 22-7 record. The Cardinals scored only two runs during their skid, but Matt Carpenter clubbed a two-run homer Sunday to match last season's total of eight blasts. The Diamondbacks have won six of their last seven and can reach the .500 mark for the first time since April 24 with a victory in the opener of the three-game set. Paul Goldschmidt went 5-for-10 with two homers and six RBIs as Arizona took two of three from the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.

TV: 4:15 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Chase Anderson (1-1, 2.54 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (4-2, 4.08)

Anderson finally broke into the win column last time out in Miami, holding the Marlins to one run and four hits over a season-high eight innings. The 27-year-old Texan allowed a total of two runs in his previous three turns but was saddled with a no-decision each time. Pitching away from home has not fazed Anderson, who has yielded four runs over 25/ 1/3 frames in his four road starts.

Martinez ended a three-start winless drought with 6 1/3 scoreless innings of four-hit ball at the New York Mets on Wednesday. He went 3-0 over his first four starts this season, working at least six frames in each and giving up a total of five runs, but followed that with a bumpy stretch during which he surrendered 16 runs over 14 innings. Martinez has made three career relief appearances versus Arizona, giving up two runs in 2 1/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals LF Matt Holliday (forearm bruise) was scratched Sunday but has reached base in 42 straight games dating to last year.

2. Diamondbacks CF A.J. Pollock is 12-for-24 with eight runs scored during his six-game hitting streak.

3. Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong has hit safely in a career high-tying eight straight contests.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Diamondbacks 3