Toronto @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 24, 2011 ) Toronto 5, St. Louis 4

THE STORY: The Toronto Blue Jays finally found some offense, with a familiar face at the center of it all. Jose Bautista and the Jays look to build on their momentum as they resume their interleague series with the host St. Louis Cardinals.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, Rogers Sportsnet (Toronto), Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Carlos Villanueva (4-1, 3.17 ERA) vs. Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (6-2, 3.19 ERA)

Villanueva has been mostly rock-solid since entering the Toronto rotation late last month in place of injured starter Jesse Litsch. He deserved a better fate last time out, allowing two runs through seven innings but getting outdueled in a 2-1 loss to Cincinnati. Villanueva is a familiar foe to the Cardinals, boasting a 4-3 all-time record against them with a 3.11 ERA in 63 2/3 innings.

Garcia emerged as a pitcher to watch in 2010, and has shown no signs of slowing down so far this season. Since getting blasted for 11 earned runs in a loss to Colorado nearly a month ago, the 24-year-old has put together four straight strong outings. He remains especially stingy at home, going 4-0 with a minuscule 0.81 ERA in six starts at Busch Stadium.

ABOUT THE BLUE JAYS (37-39): Toronto entered St. Louis having scored just three total runs during a four-game losing skid that dropped the club back below the .500 mark. Bautista's 23rd home run in the ninth inning of Friday's game lifted the Jays to a 5-4 win, temporarily allaying concerns about a dip in offensive production. That feeling may not last long - Garcia has yet to allow a home run in 44 1/3 innings in St. Louis so far this season. Working the count may prove challenging, as well, with Garcia issuing just 22 free passes in 93 innings. Bautista is the only player on the Toronto roster to have taken Garcia deep.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (41-36): St. Louis is struggling to prove it can excel without superstar first baseman Albert Pujols. As he remains out of the lineup for at least the next four-to-six weeks with an arm injury, the Cardinals fell to 1-3 with him on the sidelines following Friday's loss. The St. Louis roster is hitting a collective .234 against Villanueva, but the Cards' two remaining big guns have had his number. Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman have both hit a pair of homers off of Villanueva, while combining to bat .320 (8-for-25) against him. Skip Schumaker has also homered off the Jays righty.

FINAL PITCH: Take away his horrible start against the Rockies and Garcia's season ERA would be 2.21 - good for second in the National League.