Cincinnati @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( May 31, 2010 ) Cincinnati 4, St. Louis 12

The St. Louis Cardinals appear to be heating up just as the Cincinnati Reds are cooling off.

The two teams meet again Tuesday night at Busch Stadium in the second of a three-game set and with first place in the NL Central at stake.

The Cardinals recorded a season-high for runs and hits (16) while improving to 16-8 at home with a 12-4 drubbing of the Reds on Monday. Five different players had two RBIs for St. Louis, which is 4-1 in its last five games and has scored 36 runs in its last four victories.

St. Louis had lost three of four before its recent run and maybe even better news for the Cardinals than being tied for first place is that Albert Pujols is getting hot just as the calender approaches summer.

Pujols belted three home runs in a 9-1 win at Chicago on Sunday and he added two hits and an RBI with a pair of walks in Monday's win.

Cincinnati has lost two straight but still recorded its highest May win total (18) in six years. The month also included an 18-game home run streak - the third longest in franchise history - which came to an end in a 2-0 loss to the Houston Astros on Sunday.

While the recent setbacks have dropped the Reds back into a tie for first, there is some good news for Cincinnati in the imminent return of first baseman Joey Votto.

Votto was out of the lineup on Monday for the sixth straight day with a stiff neck but he may be back in the starting lineup Tuesday, according to manager Dusty Baker. Votto ran and took batting practice Monday and fielded grounders at first.

Looking to cool off its division rival, Cincinnati gives the ball to Johnny Cueto (5-1, 3.25 ERA).

The Reds have won Cueto's last six starts, a streak that started with a 3-2 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on April 30. In seven career starts against St. Louis, Cueto is 3-2 with a 5.18 ERA.

P.J. Walters (1-0, 2.00) makes his second start of the season for the Cardinals. Drafted by St. Louis in the 11th round in 2006, Walters is making his first career start against Cincinnati.

After being recalled from Triple-A Memphis, Walters went out and tossed five scoreless innings in an 8-3 triumph over the San Diego Padres on Thursday. Walters allowed four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.