Philadelphia @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 6, 2010 ) St. Louis 2, Philadelphia 7
The St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies are headed in distinctly opposite directions.
St. Louis rallied from four runs down on Sunday to cap a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For its part, Philadelphia was one ninth-inning rally away from being swept in a four-game set against the Chicago Cubs.
On Monday, the NL Central-leading Cardinals (51-41) will vie their sixth straight victory when they play host to the Phillies (48-43) in the opener of their four-game series at Busch Stadium.
St. Louis leapfrogged the Cincinnati Reds in the division following its late-inning rally over the Dodgers on Sunday.
With reigning National League Most Valuable Player Albert Pujols taking the day off, rookie first baseman Allen Craig drove in three runs and Matt Holiday recorded the game-winning single in the ninth to lift the Cardinals to victory on Sunday.
Right-hander Blake Hawksworth (3-5, 4.73 ERA) will look to keep the good times rolling for St. Louis.
The 27-year-old British Columbia native has slowly worked his ERA down from 6.48 from five weeks ago with steady and consistent performances.
In his last outing, Hawksworth overcame two first-inning runs and settled down quickly. He didn't allow a run in his final 4 1/3 innings and notched the win after the Cardinals posted a 4-2 triumph over the Houston Astros on July 11.
Hawksworth will make his first start against Philadelphia, which will counter with right-hander Kyle Kendrick (5-3, 4.44 ERA).
The 25-year-old Texas native as slowly found his form over his last few starts. Kendrick allowed one run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Reds on July 8.
Kendrick has already faced the Cardinals this season, pitching seven scoreless innings en route to a 4-0 triumph on May 5.
This time, the hurler is expected to contend with Pujols, who has traditionally struggled against the Phillies. The slugger has just two homers in 28 career home games against Philadelphia.
Ryan Howard returns home on a hot streak. The St. Louis native belted his fifth home run of the four-game series against Chicago on Sunday night.
He was joined in the power display by Greg Dobbs and Ben Francisco, but the Phillies dropped an 11-6 decision to the Cubs. The loss was Philadelphia's seventh in its last nine games on the road.