St. Louis @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 23, 2012 ) St. Louis 8, Kansas City 2

The hot-hitting St. Louis Cardinals go for the sweep Sunday in Kansas City after exploding for 19 runs and 33 hits in the first two games of the series. Matt Holliday, who went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs in Saturday’s 8-2 win, is hitting .591 against Royals pitching this season. The top six hitters in St. Louis’ lineup all had at least two hits Saturday.

Jon Jay, Matt Carpenter and Skip Schumaker have returned from the disabled list in the past week, lifting the defending World Series champs. Kansas City had won seven of nine entering this series, including taking two of three in St. Louis last weekend. But Royals pitchers have had no answer for the Cardinals this time around.

TV: 2:10 p.m., FS-M, FSKC

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (10-3, 2.80 ERA) vs. Royals LH Jonathan Sanchez (1-3, 5.70 ERA)

Lynn struggled with his command in his last outing, a 6-3 loss in Detroit. But he’s been St. Louis’ most reliable starter, holding batters to a .223 average while striking out 90 in 86 2/3 innings. He’s gone at least six innings in six of his last eight starts.

This is a brutal matchup for Sanchez because the Cardinals hit .279 against left-handed pitching. Sanchez throws a lot of pitches and has walked 28 in just 36 1/3 innings. He’s gone six innings in only one of his eight starts. Batters are hitting .273 against him.

WALK-OFFS:

1. Cards OF Carlos Beltran is 10-for-24 this season against the Royals, the team that drafted him. He is six hits shy of 2,000 in his career.

2. The Royals are 11-22 at home.

3. Cards leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal reached base four times Saturday, raising his on-base percentage to .354.