St. Louis @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 2, 2011 ) St. Louis 8, Milwaukee 7

THE STORY: With their rivalry growing more heated by the day, Milwaukee and St. Louis play the rubber game of their key NL Central series at Miller Park on Wednesday afternoon. The Cardinals evened the series with an 8-7 win in 11 innings Tuesday that was marred by beanball. After slugger Albert Pujols was hit in the top of the seventh, St. Louis responded by beaning Ryan Braun in the bottom half. Words were exchanged, the benches warned. With the win, the Cards moved back within 2 ½ games of the division lead and ended the Brewers’ seven-game win streak.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN, FS-M

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers LH Randy Wolf (7-8, 3.44 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Edwin Jackson (8-7, 3.78 ERA) –

Wolf has given up three or fewer runs in four straight starts. In 15 career starts against the Cards, he’s 5-7 with a 3.79 ERA. Lance Berkman is just 3-for-27 (.111) and Rafael Furcal 8-for-38 (.211) against Wolf, but Albert Pujols is 10-for-31 (.323) with two homers and 11 RBIs.

The Cards hope Jackson’s second start is as good as his first, when he allowed one run over seven innings in a 9-2 win over the Cubs. It was his third straight outstanding start, the previous two coming with the White Sox. Still, opponents are batting .284 against him.

ABOUT THE BREWERS (61-50): Milwaukee is 40-15 at Miller Park after going 40-41 at home last year. But the Brewers are kicking themselves after stranding 12 runners in Tuesday’s loss. Braun, who is second on the team with 73 RBIs, went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. Third baseman Casey McGehee is 4-for-10 in the series.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (58-52): St. Louis lodged a complaint about the lighting around home plate at Miller Park, claiming the ribbon board that runs along the third deck dimmed when the Cards hit on Monday. The umpiring crew forwarded the complaint to the league office; no action was taken. Matt Holliday has homered on consecutive days, giving him 16 this season. Tuesday’s blast slammed off the scoreboard in center. Poor defense continues to plague the Cards. Skip Schumaker’s inability to turn a double play led to Milwaukee's four-run fifth on Tuesday.

FINAL PITCH: Cards catcher Yadier Molina likely will be suspended for his vehement argument of a called third strike against him in the 10th inning Tuesday. Molina appeared to bump the umpire at least once.