Cincinnati @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2014 ) Cincinnati 5, St. Louis 6

The St. Louis Cardinals look to stay hot and reach a new high-water mark for the season when they host the slumping Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. With a 6-5 win in 10 innings in the series opener Monday, St. Louis moved 10 games above .500 for the second time and pulled within 2 1/2 games of first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central. The last time the Cardinals were 10 games over .500 - on June 19 - they dropped four straight.

In addition to pulling a tad closer to the Brewers and solidifying its hold on the first wild-card spot with Monday's victory, St. Louis - which has won five of its last six - has helped to damage the Reds' playoff aspirations. Cincinnati is 3-7 against its NL Central rivals this year and has dropped eight of 10 overall to fall five games back of the second wild card. The Reds has welcomed back star second baseman Brandon Phillips, who went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts Monday in his first action since July 9.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Alfredo Simon (12-8, 3.28 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (12-8, 3.91)

Simon is 0-5 with a 5.46 ERA in six starts since the All-Star break after giving up a career-high seven runs (five earned) in five innings of a 7-3 loss at Colorado on Thursday. He has lasted five innings or fewer in five of those six outings after getting through at least six frames in 16 of 18 starts prior to the break. The 33-year-old, who has 14 career games but no starts against St. Louis, has eight strikeouts against nine walks in his last three appearances.

Lackey rebounded from a rocky outings at Baltimore on Aug. 9 with seven solid innings in a no-decision against San Diego on Thursday. He let up two runs in seven innings in a game the Cardinals would eventually win 4-3. Lackey, who yielded one earned run in six innings in his only prior start against Cincinnati, has allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of his last six outings overall.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis 1B Matt Adams has a home run and a double in his only two at-bats against Simon.

2. Reds RF Jay Bruce is 5-for-14 with two homers and eight RBIs in his last three games.

3. The Cardinals have won six straight series between the teams at home and 18 of the last 20.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Reds 4