St. Louis @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2015 ) San Diego 1, St. Louis 3

The St. Louis Cardinals have been the best home team in baseball this season but their stretch run will feature a heavy dose of road games. The Cardinals begin one of two remaining 10-game road trips - their longest voyages of the season - when they open a three-game series at San Diego on Friday.

Yadier Molina's eighth-inning solo homer lifted St. Louis to a 4-3 win over San Francisco on Wednesday, capping the Cardinals' 6-3 homestand and leaving them with a 46-19 mark at Busch Stadium. The club, which entered Thursday's action with a five-game lead in the National League Central, will play 26 of its final 42 games away from the Mound City, where the Cardinals are still a very solid 31-24. The Padres are coming off a three-game sweep of Atlanta and have won seven of their last nine overall. They will give the ball to right-hander Andrew Cashner, who stifled the Cardinals in a San Diego win last month, opposite St. Louis veteran John Lackey.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH John Lackey (10-7, 2.87 ERA) vs. Padres RH Andrew Cashner (4-12, 4.20)

Lackey picked up his 10th win with 8 1/3 solid innings against Miami on Saturday to reach double digits in victories for the 12th straight time. He also owns 12 consecutive quality starts - two shy of his career high - and has posted a 2.12 ERA during the run. Lackey has never pitched in Petco Park but has faced the Padres three times, going 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA.

Cashner allowed four earned runs and seven hits in five innings - his shortest start since June 21 - in a no-decision at Colorado on Saturday. He is 0-2 with a 5.56 ERA in four outings since his last win on July 24. The 24-year-old limited the Cardinals to one run and a season-low three hits in six innings earlier this season in his first career start against St. Louis after six bullpen appearances.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres 3B Yangervis Solarte was 4-for-7 with two homers, one double and five RBIs in the final two games of the Atlanta series.

2. Cardinals RF Jason Heyward (hamstring) has missed two straight starts but appeared as a pinch hitter in Wednesday's win.

3. St. Louis LF Stephen Piscotty has two home runs, one triple and two doubles during a five-game hitting streak (.400).

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Padres 3