St. Louis @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2012 ) St. Louis 4, San Diego 6

Kyle Lohse has not lost in two months and the skidding St. Louis Cardinals need that trend to continue when their ace takes the mound Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series at the San Diego Padres. St. Louis has dropped five of six games and is clinging to a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second wild card spot. The Cardinals are starting to hear footsteps as the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers have both pulled within four games of them.

The Padres are bearing no resemblance to the team that staggered out of the gate this season with a 19-40 record. San Diego has won six of its last seven and 16 of 21 overall as it seeks a three-game sweep of the Cardinals. Logan Forsythe had a key two-run double Tuesday and has hit in five straight games and 13 of 14. He has seven multi-hit games during that stretch and is batting .352 over the past 26 games.

TV: 6:35 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis), Fox Sports San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Kyle Lohse (14-2, 2.81 ERA) vs. Padres LH Clayton Richard (12-12, 3.78)

Lohse is coming off consecutive no-decisions but still owns the longest winning streak in the majors at eight games. He bounced back from a rocky performance against Washington to limit Milwaukee to two runs in 6 1/3 innings last time out. During his 15-start unbeaten stretch, Lohse has held the opposition to two runs or fewer on 13 occasions. His last loss came on July 13 - his first start after the All-Star break.

Richard missed his last start to be with his wife for the birth of their child and was shaky in his previous outing, giving up three runs in 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings to the Dodgers but not factoring in the decision. He had won three straight starts prior to that outing. Richard is 2-0 with a 3.13 ERA in four career starts against the Cardinals, including a no-decision at St. Louis on May 21 in which he gave up two runs in 7 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres 2B Yonder Alonso had his 34th double Tuesday, breaking the franchise rookie record set by Benito Santiago in 1987.

2. Pitching away from home has not fazed Lohse, who is 7-1 in 15 road starts.

3. San Diego has won 20 of its last 26 games at Petco Park.