St. Louis @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 7, 2015 ) St. Louis 6, Milwaukee 0

The Milwaukee Brewers need to find a way to solve the pitching staff of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals when the National League Central rivals resume their three-game set on Saturday. The Cardinals posted their major league-best 70th victory with a 6-0 win in the series opener - their fourth shutout triumph over Milwaukee in the last eight meetings.

St. Louis sents Jaime Garcia to the mound Saturday in pursuit of its third straight shutout and 13th overall this season. Rookie Randal Grichuk belted a three-run homer Friday, giving him three blasts and seven RBIs in his last five games. The Brewers had scored 22 runs during a three-game winning streak before Friday's loss dropped them to an NL-worst 23-35 at home. Milwaukee's Shane Peterson collected three of his team's six hits to extend his hitting streak to six games.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (3-4, 1.98 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Wily Peralta (2-6, 4.55)

Garcia permitted only one run and two hits in five-plus innings versus Colorado last time out, but he also walked four batters and wound up with a no-decision. The 29-year-old Mexican made one mistake in his previous outing and it cost him, serving up a three-run homer in a 4-0 setback to Cincinnati. Garcia is 1-2 in four road starts despite allowing a total of seven runs and owns a 6-4 record and 3.09 ERA in his career against Milwaukee.

Peralta turned in a strong effort in his first start since missing more than two months with a strained oblique, beating San Francisco with six innings of two-run ball. He followed that up with a dud last time out, lasting 3 1/3 frames and getting whacked around for six runs and eight hits in a 13-5 loss to San Diego. He is 4-6 lifetime against the Cardinals and has struggled against Matt Carpenter (12-for-27) and Yadier Molina (8-for-22).

WALK-OFFS

1. Carpenter is 13-for-32 with five homers, nine RBIs and 10 runs scored since moving into the leadoff slot.

2. Brewers RF Ryan Braun has hit safely in six straight games.

3. Grichuk has swatted half his 14 homers over the last 17 contests.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Brewers 2