St. Louis @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 30, 2015 ) Philadelphia 3, St. Louis 9

Even while snapping a lengthy losing streak, the Philadelphia Phillies had to deal with bad news Thursday. After scratching ace Cole Hamels for Friday's opener of a three-game series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, the Phillies will turn to right-hander Phillippe Aumont for his 2015 debut.

Hamels, the primary trade chip for a last-place team that just endured a nine-game slide, will miss the scheduled turn due to a right hamstring strain. The announcement came before Philadelphia ended its losing streak - the club's longest since an 11-gamer in 1999 - with a 2-1 win over Baltimore on Thursday afternoon. St. Louis, meanwhile dropped its second straight game since the hacking scandal surrounding the front office broke, falling to Minnesota 2-1 on a walk-off homer. Hamels dominated the Cardinals in the opener of a four-game series in April before St. Louis took the final three games.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), NBC10 (Philadelphia)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Tyler Lyons (1-0, 5.00 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Phillippe Aumont (NR)

Lyons earned his first win in over two years with five solid innings against Kansas City on Saturday while filling in for the injured Lance Lynn. He let up two runs on three hits while striking out six Royals in the victory. The 27-year-old, who has never faced the Phillies, owns a 3.19 ERA in 15 career games (eight starts) away from home.

Aumont, a former first-round selection of the Seattle Mariners, gave up 12 runs in just 5 2/3 innings over five relief appearances with the Phillies in 2014, his third straight season pitching exclusively out of the bullpen. He has made 10 starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year, going 3-4 with a 2.55 ERA in that role and winning his most recent start with 5 2/3 scoreless frames at Norfolk. The 26-year-old was shipped to Philadelphia in a deal involving Cliff Lee in Dec. 2009.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis has scored four runs or fewer in 12 straight games.

2. Phillies closer RHP Jonathan Papelbon has allowed one earned run in his last 15 appearances.

3. Cardinals SS Jhonny Peralta is 2-for-19 over his last five games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Phillies 3