St. Louis @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2012 ) St. Louis 3, San Diego 11

The San Diego Padres can only wonder what might have been if not for an awful first three months of the season that saw them lose 50 of their first 78 games. The Padres have since turned things around and will have to be content to play spoiler. San Diego has already had an impact on the wild card race, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers two out of three last week and taking the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday for its 15th win in the last 20 games.

The Cardinals had their lead for the second wild card slot cut to one game over the Dodgers, who will host St. Louis in a four-game series later this week. The Cardinals have dropped four of its last five games, allowing 32 runs in that span, and have held only one opponent under four runs in the last 13 games. St. Louis needs to get center fielder Carlos Beltran going. He has only one homer and two RBIs in his last 17 games.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), FS San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (13-12, 4.04 ERA) vs. Padres RH Edinson Volquez (9-10, 4.27)

After winning five consecutive starts and six straight decisions, Wainwright has wilted in losing his last two outings. He allowed five runs in five innings to the New York Mets last time out after getting hammered for six runs in 2 2/3 innings at Washington on Aug. 31. Wainwright had surrendered only 10 runs in seven starts prior to the last two outings and may be hitting a wall after not pitching last year.

Volquez had appeared to turn a corner after winning back-to-back starts with strong efforts to close out August, but lasted only 4 2/3 innings and gave up five runs in his last start at Colorado on Sept. 1. Volquez was scheduled to start Saturday, but was held out because of a blister on his right thumb. He has not fared well against the Cardinals in his career, posting a 1-4 record and 5.59 ERA in seven starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals 1B Lance Berkman will undergo season-ending knee surgery Tuesday.

2. Padres LF Carlos Quentin exited Monday's game with soreness in his surgically repaired right knee.

3. San Diego is 19-6 in its last 25 games at Petco Park.