Atlanta @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 25, 2015 ) Atlanta 0, St. Louis 1

Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman returned to action Saturday as a pinch-hitter and defensive replacement, and a mere glance at his team’s offensive production during his 30-game absence for a bruised right wrist further accentuates his importance to one of baseball’s most-challenged offenses. Atlanta aims to avoid a weekend sweep in the finale of a three-game set Sunday at the St. Louis Cardinals, and Freeman expects to start.

Freeman was hitting .299 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs when he got hurt, and Atlanta’s flickering hopes of contending also were harmed, the Braves scoring 83 runs while going 13-17. St. Louis extended its winning streak to five with Saturday’s 1-0 victory, continuing its dominant play at home. The Cardinals are perfect through three games of an 11-game homestand and own a majors-best 36-12 record at home. Rookie left fielder Stephen Piscotty drove in the run Saturday on a sacrifice fly, his first major league RBI.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FSN South (Atlanta), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Matt Wisler (4-1, 3.60 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (11-3, 3.20)

Wisler figures to anchor a spot in Atlanta’s rotation for the foreseeable future, and has impressed through six starts in his rookie season. He beat the Dodgers on Monday, giving up four runs on eight hits to win his third consecutive decision, and is 3-0 in four July outings with 21 strikeouts and nine walks in 23 innings. Wisler has allowed nine earned runs in 15 2/3 innings across three road starts, with four of those runs coming in his only loss June 25 in Washington.

Wacha has blossomed into one of baseball's young aces in his third season, ranking tied for second in the National League in victories while posting a stellar 1.10 WHIP. His ERA sat below 3.00 for most of the season before the 24-year-old allowed five earned runs in each of his past two starts. Wacha, who won his first seven decisions, beat the White Sox on Tuesday despite the five runs allowed, striking out eight in five innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta P Shelby Miller gave up Saturday's run in the eighth as the Braves have scored 10 runs total with Miller on the mound in his past 12 starts.

2. Piscotty’s sacrifice fly marked the 55th run scored by the Cardinals in the eighth inning, the most productive inning for St. Louis this season.

3. The Braves are 13-36 when scoring three runs or fewer, and 31-15 when plating four or more runs.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Braves 2