St. Louis @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 5, 2015 ) St. Louis 4, Cincinnati 3

Michael Wacha will be looking to win consecutive starts for the first time in more than two months as he takes the mound for the St. Louis Cardinals in Thursday's rubber match against the host Cincinnati Reds. The Cardinals will be looking for a lengthy outing from Wacha after using six relievers to pitch eight scoreless frames in Wednesday's 4-3 win in 13 innings.

St. Louis was on the verge of a fourth straight loss to the Reds in a nine-day span before the top of the order came through again. Matt Carpenter swatted a tying homer in the eighth inning - his fifth blast in six games - before Randal Grichuk extended his hitting streak to eight games with a go-ahead shot in the 13th. Cincinnati second baseman Brandon Phillips collected three hits Wednesday to improve to 13-for-27 during a six-game hitting streak. After using seven relievers Wednesday, the Reds turn to Michael Lorenzen, who has made it through six innings in only one of his last six starts.

TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (12-4, 3.09 ERA) vs. Reds RH Michael Lorenzen (3-6, 4.80)

Wacha is coming off his best outing in weeks, limiting the Colorado Rockies to four hits over seven scoreless innings in a 7-0 victory Friday. The 24-year-old has struggled with consistency since winning his first seven decisions this season, giving up at least four runs in five of his last 11 turns. Wacha beat the Reds in his first two starts this season to improve to 3-1 with a 2.01 ERA lifetime against them.

Lorenzen was knocked around for the third consecutive start, giving up five runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh on Friday. It capped an abysmal July for the 23-year-old Californian, who went 0-4 in five starts last month and is winless since June 21. The rookie has never faced the Cardinals, but has not fared well at home, posting a 1-3 record and 4.80 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Carpenter is 16-for-42 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 11 games versus Cincinnati this season.

2. Reds C Brayan Pena halted a 25-game RBI drought with a two-run double Wednesday.

3. Grichuk has 40 extra-base hits, the most by a St. Louis rookie since Colby Rasmus in 2009, although he's done it in 221 fewer at-bats.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Reds 3