Cincinnati @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 9, 2013 ) Cincinnati 1, St. Louis 5

The Cincinnati Reds will try to win a series for one of the few times as the visiting team against the St. Louis Cardinals when they meet Wednesday afternoon. The Reds have won a series at Busch Stadium three times in the last 32 meetings dating to 2003. Cincinnati took the opener Monday by scoring nine runs in the ninth inning of a 13-4 victory, but could manage only one run in a 5-1 loss Tuesday. It was Cincinnati’s first loss this season by more than two runs. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have held their opponent to one run or less three times in 2013.

The Cardinals will need to find more ways to fit Matt Adams into the lineup. He had three hits in each of his only two appearances this season before coming off the bench Tuesday and smacking a pinch-hit two-run homer in the sixth to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead. The regular first baseman for the Cardinals, Allen Craig, is off to an 8-for-35 start at the plate. The Reds are receiving good offensive production from the trio of Shin Soo-Choo (.394, six RBIs), Todd Frazier (.375, 10) and Brandon Phillips (.314, eight)

TV: 1:45 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Ohio (Cincinnati), Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Homer Bailey (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Jake Westbrook (0-1, 0.00)

Bailey has faced the Cardinals more than any other team in the major leagues, making 13 career starts. He has also given up more home runs (11) to St. Louis than any other opponent. He is 3-7 in those games with a 5.00 ERA. Matt Holliday has been particularly rough on Bailey in his career, totaling 11 hits in 25 at-bats, including two home runs. Yadier Molina is 6-for-16 with two home runs and David Freese, who came off the 15-day disabled list Monday, has three hits off Bailey and two have left the yard. Bailey was sharp in his season debut, however, shutting out the Washington Nationals on two hits over six innings in a 15-0 victory.

Westbrook was equally sharp in his season debut, but didn’t receive nearly the same run support. Westbrook didn’t allow an earned run in 6 2/3 innings against the defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants, but took the loss when San Francisco scored the game’s only run on a bases-loaded walk after Molina threw the ball away on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Westbrook will be making his 10th career start against the Reds. Chris Heisey, who’s in the starting lineup in left field because Ryan Ludwick suffered a shoulder injury in the season opener, is 6-for-12 lifetime against Westbrook with three home runs.

WALK-OFFS

1. Derrick Robinson, who was called up from Triple-A Memphis after Ludwick went on the disabled list, made his first career start in left field Tuesday and went 1-for-3 with two strikeouts.

2. Bailey is 13-15 in his career during day games and 26-18 at night.

3. Reds 1B Joey Votto, who has a career slugging percentage of .550, is off to a .321 start in that category this season thanks to 11 walks and nine strikeouts.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Reds 3