St. Louis @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 12, 2014 ) St. Louis 0, Miami 3

The Miami Marlins have surged back into the National League wild-card race as they try to finish a three-game sweep of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. The Marlins own a 4-1 lead in the season series and have moved within 3 1/2 games of the Cardinals for the second wild card after Tuesday's 3-0 win. Miami also trails first-place Washington by six games in the NL East, while St. Louis - which has lost five of seven - is three back of Milwaukee for the top spot in the Central.

Miami's bullpen made things interesting in the ninth inning of the first two games, but closer Steve Cishek should be available for the finale. Bryan Morris and Mike Dunn combined to work the ninth Tuesday because Cishek had pitched four of the previous five days. The Marlins haven't swept a three-game series from the Cardinals since 1996.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Justin Masterson (5-7, 5.94 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Nathan Eovaldi (6-6, 3.99)

Masterson has split his first two starts with St. Louis, but he hasn't pitched very well in either. He gave up five runs over six innings to win his Cardinals debut but was tagged for five runs in just two frames in a loss at Baltimore on Friday. Masterson made a scoreless relief appearance against the Marlins in 2009 and turned in seven innings of two-run ball against them in a no-decision three years later.

Eovaldi is coming off his best outing of the year in Friday's win at Cincinnati. He struck out six over eight scoreless innings to snap a seven-start winless streak and pick up his first victory since June 23. Eovaldi is 0-1 with a 3.57 ERA in three starts against the Cardinals, with the loss coming July 4 in St. Louis as he allowed three runs over six frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marlins OF Giancarlo Stanton (148) is tied with Hanley Ramirez for second on the franchise's home run list, trailing leader Dan Uggla by six.

2. St. Louis 2B Kolten Wong is 7-for-19 during his four-game hitting streak and has recorded three or more hits in a contest three times this month.

3. Miami 3B Casey McGehee has hit safely in six straight games and has recorded multiple hits in four of the last five.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Marlins 4