St. Louis @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 19, 2013 ) St. Louis 2, Philadelphia 8

Philadelphia Phillies' pitcher Cliff Lee has served notice that 2013 will not be anything like 2012. Lee, who needed 23 starts to win his third game last season, will try to do it in four when the Phillies host the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. Lee, who has a microscopic 0.68 WHIP and a .179 batting average against, has resembled the pitcher who won 17 games in his first season with the Phillies in 2011 rather than the one that struggled to a 6-9 mark in 2012.

Lee will have a tough act to follow. Fellow Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay allowed two hits - both solo home runs - in seven innings in the Phillies' 8-2 rain-shortened victory Friday. Philadelphia, which snapped a four-game losing streak, hadn't scored more than three runs in its previous seven games. Carlos Beltran has homered in two consecutive contests for the Cardinals, who have alternated wins and losses over their last six games

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis), The Comcast Network (Philadelphia)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (2-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cliff Lee (2-0, 1.52)

Lynn, who shed some 40 pounds during the offseason, continues to seek a consistent delivery with his new body. The 25-year-old Brownsburg, Ind., native, who was 18-7 last season, has reached six innings only once in three starts. He struggled through five innings (four runs, seven hits, three walks) in Monday's 10-6 victory at Pittsburgh despite being staked to a 10-1 lead. Lynn has allowed 17 hits and struck out 17 in 15 innings with a 1.60 WHIP.

Lee has demonstrated impeccable control over the last five-plus seasons, but has taken it to a new level. He has issued one walk in 2013 - his first since Sept. 17, a total of 44 2/3 innings and 169 batters faced - when Jay Bruce worked a 10-pitch free pass in his last outing. Lee allowed two runs in seven innings and did not receive a decision in the Phillies' 4-2 loss at Cincinnati on Monday. Lee is 3-2 with a 2.44 ERA and two shutouts in six career starts against St. Louis.

WALK-OFFS

1. Phillies 1B Ryan Howard, who missed Friday's game because of tightness in his right groin and is day-to-day, went 2-for-3 with a homer against Lynn in an 8-7 victory Aug. 12. Lynn, who allowed four runs in five innings, didn't receive a decision in his only appearance against Philadelphia.

2. St. Louis C Yadier Molina was given Friday off. He is 9-for-23 in his last six games with a home run, four doubles and six RBIs and is 6-for-19 against Lee.

3. Phillies 3B Michael Young has a 10-game hitting streak and is hitting .339 in his first season in Philadelphia.

PREDICTION: Phillies 3, Cardinals 2