Miami @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 14, 2015 ) Miami 1, St. Louis 3

The St. Louis Cardinals seek their eighth victory in 10 games when they host the Miami Marlins on Saturday for the second contest of their three-game set. St. Louis posted a 3-1 victory in the series opener to maintain its six-game lead over Pittsburgh in the National League Central.

The Cardinals are 3-1 on their nine-game homestand and possess the best home record in the majors at 43-17. Matt Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs on Friday and is 14-for-38 with five blasts and 10 RBIs during his 10-game hitting streak. Miami had its three-game winning streak snapped, but Cole Gillespie turned in his fifth straight multi-hit effort and is 11-for-21 during the stretch. Miami's Ichiro Suzuki went 1-for-4 for his 4,191st professional hit - counting 1,278 from his tenure in Japan - the same number that second-place Ty Cobb accumulated in the majors.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Brad Hand (2-2, 4.29 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (9-7, 2.91)

Hand is coming off a superb outing in which he gave up one run and two hits over seven innings while defeating Atlanta. The solo homer he served up to Jonny Gomes of the Braves is the only blast he has allowed in 56 2/3 frames this season. Hand has yielded just one run in 17 1/3 innings over his last seven appearances, including two starts.

Lackey has lost his last two decisions and is winless over his past three starts. He allowed three runs in each of his last two outings after a nine-start stretch in which he gave up two or fewer runs. Lackey's lone career outing against the Marlins came on June 18, 2005, when he gave up one run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings while pitching for the Angels.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals 1B Mark Reynolds recorded an RBI single in the series opener, the first run he's driven in since July 24.

2. Miami CF Christian Yelich (knee) has missed three straight games but hopes to return on Saturday.

3. St. Louis 2B Kolten Wong is batting .174 this month with no extra-base hits in 46 at-bats.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Marlins 2