Miami @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 27, 2012 ) St. Louis 3, Miami 5

Now 4-3 on their season-high 10-game homestand, the St. Louis Cardinals welcome the Miami Marlins to Busch Stadium for a three-game series starting Friday. St. Louis took three of four from Colorado this week as Matt Holliday continued his surge. He drove in two runs in Thursday’s 6-2 win and has 21 RBIs in his last 18 games.

Miami arrives having won the last two games of a four-game series in Milwaukee. In Thursday’s 4-0 win, Carlos Lee made his Marlins debut, and doubled and scored. Lee was acquired in a trade with Houston.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FS-M, FS-F

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Ricky Nolasco (7-6, 4.62 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Jake Westbrook (7-6, 3.91 ERA)

On June 25 in Miami, Nolasco allowed no earned runs over 6 2/3 innings against the Cardinals, though St. Louis rallied to win in extra innings. He followed that up by beating the Phillies, giving up two earned runs over seven innings. For the season, batters are hitting .271 against him. In eight career appearances vs. the Cards, Nolasco is 0-4 with a 5.23 ERA.

The Cards have won Westbrook’s last four starts, and he’s pitched at least six innings in five straight outings. He allowed two runs over six innings at Miami on June 25. In five career appearances vs. the Marlins, he’s 1-0 with a 2.97 ERA. But Westbrook has struggled at home this season, posting a 4.98 ERA.

WALK-OFFS:

1. The Cardinals scored in the first inning in all four games against Colorado.

2. St. Louis leads the season series with Miami, 3-1.

3. Marlins All-Star right fielder Giancarlo Stanton has missed three straight games with discomfort in his right knee.