St. Louis @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 26, 2014 ) Washington 2, St. Louis 3

After enjoying terrific success against Washington last season, the St. Louis Cardinals' Adam Wainwright faces the host Nationals on Thursday in the opener of a three-game series. Wainwright went 2-0 with a 1.76 ERA in two starts versus Washington in 2013, limiting the Nationals to a .214 batting average and posting a 14-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Wainwright worked seven innings in all three of his starts this year, although he allowed a season-high four runs in Saturday's win over the Cubs.

St. Louis enters this series having won two of three against Milwaukee this week, although the team absorbed a 5-1 defeat Wednesday. The Nationals took their rubber game in Miami on Wednesday, notching a 6-3 triumph behind a three-run eighth highlighted by Zach Walters' go-ahead home run. Washington lost all six meetings with St. Louis a season ago.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Missouri (St. Louis), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (2-1, 2.57 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Taylor Jordan (0-1, 4.76)

Wainwright was not at his best against Chicago last weekend but he did strike out eight batters without a walk after issuing six walks over his first two outings. He likely hopes that Bryce Harper (quad) rests again as the dynamic Washington outfielder is 6-for-11 with two walks against Wainwright. Adam LaRoche and Jayson Werth, on the other hand, have a combined 55 at-bats against Wainwright with a dozen hits between them.

The 25-year-old Jordan, who will be making his 12th career start, has appeared in two games this season - both against the Braves. After limiting Atlanta to one run in 6 1/3 innings April 6, Jordan yielded five runs and 10 hits in five innings Saturday. He has never faced the Cardinals, nor has he faced any players currently on their roster.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Nationals scored a total of eight runs in six games against the Cardinals in 2013.

2. Cardinals C Yadier Molina has multiple hits in five of his last seven games.

3. St. Louis scored 10 runs in Wainwright's last start after managing a single run in each of his first two outings.

PREDICTION: Nationals 7, Cardinals 3