St. Louis @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 19, 2015 ) St. Louis 12, Philadelphia 4

If the federal investigation of the St. Louis Cardinals was weighing on the minds of their hitters, there was no proof of it in their series-opening rout of the Philadelphia Phillies. Coming off their highest-scoring effort of the season, the visiting Cardinals eye their fifth win in six meetings this season against the Phillies when the teams continue their three-game weekend series in Philadelphia on Saturday.

St. Louis batted .211 with five runs in the first three games after a report broke on Tuesday that the National League Central leaders illegally hacked into the Houston Astros' player database. The Cardinals took out their frustrations against the Phillies (23-46), collecting a season-high 16 hits en route to a 12-4 thrashing of the majors’ worst team. Whatever confidence Philadelphia gained from ending a nine-game losing streak on Thursday quickly evaporated one day later as the Phillies surrendered at least 12 runs for the second time in four outings. Ryan Howard provided a rare bright moment when he belted a three-run homer for the Phillies, increasing the career totals against his hometown team to 21 home runs and 64 RBI – each mark his most against a non-NL East squad.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH John Lackey (5-4, 3.59 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Aaron Harang (4-8, 3.24)

Lackey rebounded from one of the worst outings of his career on June 8 (10 runs – eight earned – over four innings at Colorado) with a season-long eight-inning effort Monday in a win over Minnesota, giving up two runs and striking out six. The road has been unkind thus far to the 2007 American League All-Star, who is 0-3 with a 6.27 ERA in six away outings. Lackey permitted three runs in seven frames in a loss to the Phillies on April 27, dropping him to 2-4, 3.46 in six all-time starts against them.

Harang has struggled mightily in June after carrying a 2.02 ERA into the month, going 0-3 with an 8.15 ERA while losing each of his three turns. The 37-year-old San Diego native, who has dropped each of his last five outings and is winless since May 14, gave up four runs over six innings Monday and has surrendered seven of his nine homers this season over his last four appearances. Harang was saddled with a loss after surrendering five runs to the Cardinals on April 29 and is 7-16 with a 4.39 ERA in 28 career starts against St. Louis.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis’ plus-75 run differential is the second-best mark in the majors while Philadelphia’s league-worst minus-120 run differential is 43 runs more than second-to-last Milwaukee (minus-77).

2. Phillies starters have gone 24 straight games without a victory, going 0-15 with a 5.97 ERA during that stretch.

3. A boy was taken to a hospital after he was struck by a line drive late in Friday’s game. He was conscious and seen holding an ice pack on his chest close to his left shoulder as he left the stadium.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 7, Phillies 3