Arizona @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 9, 2012 ) St. Louis 7, Arizona 2
As the St. Louis Cardinals try to sneak back into the playoff picture for a shot at defending their World Series title, they'll have to contend with an Arizona Diamondbacks squad equally motivated by their desire to stay in the thick of the NL West race. St. Louis has won eight of 13 to get within two games of the second wild card, and the Cardinals will try to keep up their strong play against the Diamondbacks. St. Louis swept a three-game series at Arizona in May and have won five straight meetings.
The Diamondbacks hope right-hander Ian Kennedy fares better than he did in his last start against St. Louis, when he allowed six runs over seven innings in a 6-1 loss May 8 in Arizona. The Diamondbacks are only 4 1/2 games behind division-leading San Francisco in the NL West, but they've lost six of nine.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona, Fox Sports Midwest
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Ian Kennedy (10-9, 4.34 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Joe Kelly (2-5, 3.47)
Kennedy's four-start win streak came to an end Wednesday at Pittsburgh, when he was roughed up for six runs (five earned) over four innings in his shortest outing of the season. Kennedy is 1-2 with a 10.13 ERA in three starts against the Cardinals.
Kelly has lost five of his last six decisions and is in danger of losing his spot in the rotation when Jaime Garcia returns from the disabled list. The rookie was dinged for a career-worst seven runs (four earned) in five innings in a 15-0 loss to San Francisco in his last outing. Kelly has never faced Arizona.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis OF Carlos Beltran, who has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, is 6-for-17 with two homers against Kennedy.
2. Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt has multiple hits in seven of his past 14 games and is hitting .370 with three homers and 14 RBIs during that span.
3. Cardinals OF Jon Jay is riding a seven-game hit streak during which he is 15-for-28 (.536) with four RBIs.