Seattle @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 15, 2010 ) Seattle 2, St. Louis 4
Getting back to Busch Stadium has proved to be just what the St. Louis Cardinals needed to get back on track. Facing the last-place Seattle Mariners hasn't hurt, either.
After losing five of six and falling out of first place in the National League Central, the Cardinals have turned things around to win their first two games against the Mariners and pull even with Cincinnati in the division standings. They'll go for the three-game sweep tonight against Seattle, which has lost seven of eight.
The Cardinals broke out of their recent offensive funk with nine runs Monday, and they took advantage of Seattle's struggling offense Tuesday, as Jeff Suppan and four relievers held the Mariners to two runs on seven hits.
Seattle, which ranks 13th among 14 American League teams in runs, has scored two or fewer runs in 27 of its 65 games and is 1-26 in those contests. The Mariners are 3-32 when they allow more than three runs.
They'll have a tough time scoring more than that tonight against Jaime Garcia (6-2, 1.49 ERA), who hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his 12 starts this season.
The 23-year-old left-hander has posted 10 quality starts, and he has been especially good at home, where he is 2-0 with a 1.16 ERA in five starts.
Garcia has won his last three decisions, including his last outing Friday at Arizona. He lasted only five innings but limited the Diamondbacks to one run on four hits to pick up the win despite issuing a season-high five walks.
The Mariners will counter with a surprising young left-hander of their own in Jason Vargas (4-2, 3.05 ERA).
The 27-year-old lefty has been one of Seattle's most consistent starters, having posted 10 quality starts in his 12 outings this year. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs since his first start of the season
His last time out, Vargas took a no-decision in Seattle's 4-3 loss at San Diego. He allowed two runs on seven hits over six innings.
Cardinals outfielder Colby Rasmus has homered in each of the first two games of the series, giving him six homers and 13 RBIs in 11 games this month. Rasmus is hitting .400 in June.
Albert Pujols also hit a homer Tuesday, his 15th of the season. After enduring a 1-for-18 slump, Pujols is 6-for-10 with a homer and five RBIs in the past three games.
Ichiro Suzuki - the only Seattle starter hitting over .300 - had an infield single Tuesday to extend his hitting streak in interleague play to 19 games.
Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley hit a solo homer Tuesday, his third in the past five games. Bradley hit only three homers in his first 40 games this season.