St. Louis @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2015 ) St. Louis 3, Milwaukee 1

St. Louis is struggling to reach the finish, but it appears Jason Heyward is prepared to carry them across the line as the Cardinals try to make it two straight over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday in the middle contest of their three-game series. The right fielder is 11-for-23 during a six-game hitting streak after belting the game-winning two-run homer in Tuesday's 3-1 victory in 10 innings which extended St. Louis' lead over second-place Pittsburgh in the National League Central to three games.

The Cardinals are the first team to reach 90 victories despite winning only four times in their last 12 games as they continue to return key players to the fold prior to the deep stretch run. Left fielder Matt Holliday, who hasn't played since July 30 (quadriceps), was activated from the disabled list Tuesday but did not see action. First baseman Matt Adams has appeared in his first four games since May 26 because of a quad injury and made his first start Tuesday. St. Louis' Jaime Garcia had won five straight decisions before enduring his worst start of the season but looks to bounce back Wednesday as he opposes Wily Peralta, who is 0-3 in three starts versus the Cardinals in 2015.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (8-5, 2.33 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Wily Peralta (5-8, 4.14)

Garcia allowed a season-high six runs in a season-low 4 1/3 innings of an 11-0 loss in Cincinnati on Thursday - St. Louis' most-lopsided setback of the year. The 29-year-old Mexican was 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA in his previous seven starts, including a 3-0 victory at Milwaukee on Aug. 8 in which he permitted two hits and four walks in seven frames. Garcia is 7-4 with a 2.86 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) versus the Brewers - 1-1 while yielding one run in 14 innings this season - and has dominated Ryan Braun (8-for-42) while holding Milwaukee's collective roster to a .189 average.

Peralta received a no-decision after allowing two runs and five hits in six innings of the Brewers' 6-4 victory in Pittsburgh on Thursday after his previous start was shortened to two frames because of a rain delay. The 26-year-old Dominican has won three of his last four decisions since a 3-0 loss to the Cardinals on Aug. 8, when he permitted three runs in seven innings. The loss dropped Peralta to 4-7 with a 4.38 in 12 starts versus St. Louis, and he especially struggles with Matt Carpenter (13-for-30, two home runs, four walks).

WALK-OFFS

1. Milwaukee C Jonathan Lucroy has not played since suffering a concussion on Sept. 8 in Miami, and there is no timetable for his return.

2. The Cardinals are 26-10 in their last 36 games at Miller Park and 50-23 in their last 73 versus the Brewers.

3. Milwaukee on Tuesday was denied in its bid to match a season high with its fifth straight victory at home.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 3, Brewers 2