Miami @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 4, 2014 ) Miami 2, St. Louis 3

Matt Carpenter has found his rhythm at the plate and the St. Louis Cardinals are inching closer to the penthouse in the National League Central as a result. Both Carpenter and the Cardinals look to continue their respective hot stretches on Saturday against the visiting Miami Marlins. Carpenter extended his hitting streak to nine games and scored on a wild pitch as St. Louis won its third in a row on Friday to move within four games of first-place Milwaukee.

Carpenter has 10 hits - including four doubles - during his last five contests, but will face an unfamiliar commodity when he faces rookie Andrew Heaney who is in search of his first career victory. Marcell Ozuna extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the ninth and scored his 10th run of the stretch later in the inning for the Marlins. Former Cardinals farmhand Donovan Solano collected three hits for Miami, which opened a nine-game road trip by falling for the sixth time in eight games with a 3-2 setback.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Andrew Heaney (0-3, 5.29 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Shelby Miller (7-7, 4.10)

Heaney suffered his third consecutive loss in as many major-league outings after allowing four runs on eight hits in six innings in a 4-3 setback against Oakland on Sunday. The ninth overall selection of the 2012 draft, Heaney pitched well before permitting all four runs with two outs in the sixth - highlighted by a three-run homer from Nate Freiman. Heaney has yielded a homer in all three starts, but did not walk a batter for the first time in his brief career.

Miller fell to 0-2 in his last four appearances after allowing six runs in five innings en route to a 6-0 setback to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. The 23-year-old has struggled with his control of late, issuing 15 walks in his last 21 innings. Miller has permitted 49 walks in 17 starts, which is only eight shy of last year's total despite making 14 fewer appearances.

WALK-OFFS

1. Miami 3B Casey McGehee is riding an 11-game hitting streak while reaching base in 28 consecutive contests.

2. St. Louis OF Allen Craig, who is mired in a 6-for-34 stretch at the plate, is expected to return to the lineup after a two-game absence.

3. Marlins LF Christian Yelich is 7-for-22 with three runs scored in five games since returning from the disabled list (back).

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Marlins 2