Milwaukee @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2011 ) St. Louis 8, Milwaukee 4

THE STORY: St. Louis Cardinals are running out of games as they begin a crucial three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium on Monday afternoon. St. Louis fell 9 1/2 games behind the first-place Brewers in the National League Central with Sunday's 3-2 loss to Cincinnati in 10 innings. The Cardinals swept a three-game set at Milwaukee last week to get within 7 1/2 games, but dropped two of three to the Reds. St. Louis also trails Atlanta for the wild card by 8 1/2 games. The Brewers, meanwhile, outscored the Astros 20-4 while sweeping a three-game series in Houston. Milwaukee's magic number to clinch the Central is 13.

TV: 4:15 p.m. ET, FSN (Milwaukee) FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers LH Randy Wolf (11-9, 3.58 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Jake Westbrook (11-7, 4.72 ERA).

Wolf had his personal five-game winning streak snapped Wednesday as St. Louis tagged him for six runs - all on homers, including a grand slam by Westbrook - in five innings. The 35-year old veteran has allowed five runs or more in three of his last seven starts, including twice against the Cardinals. In the other four outings, one of which also came vs. St. Louis, he surrendered a total of two earned runs over 29 2/3 frames. Wolf is 7-8 in 18 career meetings with the Cardinals.

In addition to hitting his first career homer Wednesday, Westbrook allowed two earned runs over five innings for his first win in five career outings against Milwaukee. The 33-year old is just 3-4 with a 5.96 ERA in 13 starts at Busch Stadium this season. Westbrook is winless in three home starts since limiting Houston to one run over six innings on July 26.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (74-66): Catcher Yadier Molina missed his second straight game Sunday with tightness in his left calf. Manager Tony La Russa said Molina also could miss Monday's contest. Infielder Nick Punto is expected to be activated from the disabled list during St. Louis' nine-game homestand. Punto has not played since July 28 due to a strained left oblique.

ABOUT THE BREWERS (84-57): Milwaukee completed its sweep of Houston with a 4-0 triumph on Sunday. It was the 13th shutout of the season for the Brewers, their highest total since posting 14 in 1992. Corey Hart extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a single in the fifth inning. Hart is hitting .368 (25-for-68) during the run. Carlos Gomez made his first start since suffering a broken collarbone on July 20. Gomez played center field and went 0-for-4 from the eighth spot in the batting order. Milwaukee has won 13 of its last 16 road games.

FINAL PITCH: Milwaukee's Taylor Green delivered a pinch-hit double on Sunday, making him 5-for-8 in the major leagues. Green had a hit in each of his first three career at-bats after having his contract purchased on Aug. 27, making him the first Brewer to do so since Steve Bowling in 1976.