Kansas City @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2015 ) Kansas City 0, St. Louis 0

The two top teams in baseball will square off Thursday night when the Kansas City Royals visit the St. Louis Cardinals in a make-up game from last month. St. Louis, which owns the best home and overall record in the majors, has won the past three meetings in the I-70 Series this season, outscoring the American League Central-leading Royals 13-3.

The Cardinals are 33-12 at Busch Stadium entering their 11-game homestand and have a chance to put a stranglehold on the National League Central, with their next three opponents after Thursday's matchup a combined 27 games under .500. Kansas City has won 12 of 15 to move a season-high 21 games over .500. Third baseman Mike Moustakas has three homers and eight RBIs in seven games since the All-Star break after going deep only three times in the previous 48 contests. The Royals send Chris Young to the mound to oppose Cardinals right-hander John Lackey, who lost a rain-shortened decision at Kansas City on May 23 before his scheduled start against the Royals last month was washed out.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Chris Young (8-5, 3.03 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (8-5, 2.90)

Young lasted only five innings but halted a three-start winless drought in his last outing, allowing two runs on three hits in a 4-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Young has been victimized by the long ball of late, surrendering at least two homers in three of his last six turns. Young, who is 1-3 with a 2.93 ERA lifetime against the Cardinals, has not pitched beyond six innings in each of his last six starts.

Lackey has been on a roll since the rainout versus the Royals last month, registering seven straight quality starts and going 4-1 while permitting a total of nine runs in that span. He gave up 10 hits in seven innings last time out versus the Mets but limited the damage to one run. Lackey has excelled at home this season with a 6-2 mark and 1.91 ERA, but he is only 3-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 11 starts against Kansas City.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals 1B Eric Hosmer is 20-for-45 over his last 11 games.

2. Cardinals C Yadier Molina has hit safely in four straight games after going 6-for-9 with five RBIs in a two-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox.

3. The Royals recalled RHP Yordano Ventura from the minors Wednesday after learning that LHP Jason Vargas must undergo Tommy John elbow surgery.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Royals 3