St. Louis @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 22, 2015 ) St. Louis 0, San Diego 8

Michael Wacha aims to move into a tie for the major-league lead in victories when the St. Louis Cardinals close a three-game set Sunday against the host San Diego Padres. Wacha has won his last three decisions and is going for his 15th win, which would tie Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants and Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs for most in the majors.

The 24-year-old Wacha picked a good season to step up his performance with ace Adam Wainwright out for the season due to an Achilles' tendon tear. He will now try to slow a suddenly hot San Diego squad that rolled up 17 runs and 25 hits to win the first two games of the series. The fourth-place Padres have tied a season best with five straight victories and have won nine of their last 11 to creep within 6 1/2 games of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. St. Louis has lost four of its last six games to allow the second-place Pittsburgh Pirates to move within 3 1/2 games in the NL Central.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (14-4, 2.85 ERA) vs. Padres RH Colin Rea (2-0, 4.22)

Wacha has allowed three runs over his last four outings and took a no-decision against San Francisco in his last start when he gave up one run and six hits in seven innings. He wasn't involved in the decision when he faced the Padres for the first time in his career July 3 and gave up one run and five hits in seven innings. Wacha has given up two or fewer runs in 16 of his 23 starts this season.

Rea defeated the Cincinnati Reds in his major-league debut Aug. 11 and followed with a victory over the Atlanta Braves six days later. He is vying to join Dave Freisleben (1974) as the lone Padres to win their first three career starts. Rea was 5-4 with a 1.95 ERA in 18 minor-league starts between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso prior to his promotion.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres RF Matt Kemp had a two-run single Saturday to extend his hitting streak to 14 games.

2. St. Louis 3B Matt Carpenter was ejected Saturday is hitless in 14 at-bats over the past four games.

3. San Diego CF Travis Jankowski is 4-for-8 with three RBIs in his first two major-league games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Padres 3