St. Louis @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 21, 2014 ) St. Louis 0, NY Mets 2

The New York Mets attempt to maintain their mastery of St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright when the teams tangle in the second contest of their four-game series in New York on Tuesday. Wainwright is 2-4 with a 6.02 ERA - his highest against any National League opponent - in eight career games (six starts) against the Mets and has a 6.38 mark in three outings at Citi Field. However, the 32-year-old did work seven scoreless innings versus the Mets in their last encounter on June 13.

Wainwright will hope for a little more run support after the Cardinals were blanked 2-0 in the series opener Monday. Jenrry Mejia and three relievers combined on the six-hitter as New York won for the fifth time in seven games with its third shutout of the season. The Mets' bullpen, which had a 5.23 ERA through the first 17 games of the year, has tossed 10 1/3 scoreless innings over the last two contests.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (3-1, 1.80 ERA) vs. Mets RH Dillon Gee (1-0, 3.71)

Wainwright enters this one on a high note after throwing a two-hit shutout - the seventh of his career - with eight strikeouts at Washington on Thursday. He has allowed two runs while fanning 24 in 23 innings on the road this year and has held opponents to a .163 average in four starts overall. Wainwright has helped himself at the plate by going 4-for-9 with a double and two RBIs.

Gee also is coming off a scoreless outing, having limited Arizona to three hits over seven dominant frames on Wednesday. After throwing exactly 100 pitches in each of his first three starts, the 27-year-old cruised through the seven innings in just 72 pitches and will have a full five days of rest before taking the mound Tuesday. Gee, who allowed a run in 6 2/3 innings to defeat St. Louis at home on June 12, is 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA in four career starts against the Cardinals.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mets 3B David Wright is 20-for-54 with nine RBIs during his 12-game hitting streak.

2. The Cardinals are 6-5 thus far during their stretch of 20 games in 20 days.

3. New York 2B Daniel Murphy is 6-for-11 with two doubles and a triple against Wainwright.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Mets 3