Arizona @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( May 21, 2014 ) Arizona 2, St. Louis 3

Starting pitching has been carrying the St. Louis Cardinals with five straight outings of at least seven innings before "friendly fire" ended the streak. Michael Wacha was working on a two-hit shutout through six innings Wednesday when he was hit in the dugout by a foul ball off the bat of teammate Matt Adams, forcing him to exit with an elbow bruise. Lance Lynn looks to start another run Thursday when host St. Louis goes for a three-game sweep against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Amassing 32 hits in back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend appeared to signal an offensive revival for Arizona, which has been limited to two runs in the first two games against the Cardinals. The Diamondbacks have failed to score in 20 of 21 innings and their only scoring came courtesy of a two-run homer by Gerardo Parra in Wednesday's 12-inning loss. Left-hander Wade Miley will oppose Lynn, who owns a 20-8 home record in 42 appearances (32 starts).

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (3-4, 4.94 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (5-2, 3.67)

Miley's uneven season continued last time out when he gave up four runs on seven hits over six innings in a 7-0 defeat to National League West rival Los Angeles - his fourth start and third loss against the Dodgers in 2014. He ended a five-start winless drought in his previous outing, limiting the Chicago White Sox to two runs over seven innings. An inability to keep the ball in the park has cost Miley, who has surrendered 10 homers.

Lynn held Atlanta to two runs and seven hits in a season high-tying seven innings his last time out, the seventh time in nine starts he has permitted three runs or fewer. Lynn won his first four starts of the season but was 0-2 over his next four outings before beating the Braves. The 27-year-old Indiana native had made five appearances (three starts) against Arizona, posting a 2-0 record and 2.37 ERA over 19 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals C Yadier Molina had multiple hits seven times during a nine-game hitting streak.

2. Miley is 1-1 with a 4.38 ERA in two career starts against St. Louis, which is batting .396 against him.

3. Lynn has had trouble with Parra, who is 5-for-9 with a homer, two triples and a homer against him.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Diamondbacks 2