Cincinnati @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 1, 2010 ) Cincinnati 3, St. Louis 6
The Cincinnati Reds saw their five-game winning streak come to an end Saturday and the hope for an immediate turnaround does not look too bright.
In the finale of today’s three-game series at St. Louis, the Reds will have to face Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter.
Undefeated on the season, Carpenter (3-0, 2.48 ERA) has enjoyed feasting on Reds hitters over his career.
The 35-year-old right-hander carries an 8-3 career mark and 2.17 ERA against the Reds into today’s game, which includes a six-inning performance earlier this season that featured two earned runs and three strikeouts on Opening Day.
Carpenter has allowed six runs in his last three starts, twice striking out 10 batters, and appears on his way to duplicating his 17-4 record of a year ago.
The Reds as a whole have had trouble with the Cardinals’ pitching staff this year, hitting .242 (15-for-62) in the last two games and .245 for the season.
While Carpenter is enjoying a solid campaign, the same can’t be said for Cincinnati ace Aaron Harang (1-3, 7.16 ERA).
Harang drew that Opening Day assignment against Carpenter and ended up paying the price, giving up three earned runs in five innings of an 11-6 loss. Still, in his last start Tuesday, Harang had a strong outing against the Houston Astros with six strikeouts and a walk in a 6-2 victory.
If the Reds are to do well against Carpenter, right fielder Jay Bruce will need to continue his recent tear. In his past six games, Bruce has four doubles, a home run and four RBIs and is hitting .500 (11-for-22).
That will help a lineup that lost outfielder Chris Dickerson with a broken wrist. Dickerson was injured in Thursday’s game against Houston with what was initially thought to be a sprained wrist.
An MRI exam over the weekend revealed the severity of the injury and Dickerson will undergo surgery Monday. It is unclear how long he will be sidelined.
The injury may not be as costly as feared. At the start of the season, left field was Cincinnati’s biggest stumbling block. Chris Heisey, who was recalled from Triple-A Louisville to fill Dickerson’s roster spot, can play all three outfield spots.
Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday may not be in the lineup today. Since St. Louis is in the middle of a 17-game stretch and its next scheduled off day isn’t until May 10, manager Tony La Russa wants to find time to rest his starters. Holliday is 1-for-18 against Harang in his career, so this might be the ideal time to sit him.