St. Louis @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 12, 2012 ) St. Louis 7, Philadelphia 8

The Philadelphia Phillies are off to a slow start, but their ace appears to be ready to bust out of his early-season slump. Cole Hamels will try to build off his first quality start when the Phillies host the St. Louis Cardinals for a four-game series beginning Thursday. Philadelphia is 6-9 after getting swept at Cincinnati to complete a 2-4 road trip. St. Louis is coming off a 1-0 loss at Pittsburgh as Carlos Beltran provided the only hit with a double in the seventh inning.

While it's too early to panic, the Phillies are 6 1/2 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East. Their problems are not limited to the pitching staff, which has recorded a 4.90 ERA - second-worst in the NL. Slugger Ryan Howard has one home run with 16 strikeouts in 58 at-bats and the Phillies are hitting .238. Despite behind shut down by A.J. Burnett and the Pirates on Wednesday, the Cardinals have scored 79 runs - fifth in the majors - in 15 games.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (2-1, 2.05 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cole Hamels (0-2, 7.56)

With Chris Carpenter lost for the season because of potentially career-threatening arm trouble, Wainwright has made a seamless transition into the ace's role. His last performance was a good example as he pitched a four-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts in an 8-0 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday. Wainwright hasn't walked a batter in 22 innings. He is 3-1 in nine games with a 2.20 ERA against the Phillies, including a victory in 2012 when he allowed one run in six innings.

Hamels, who had a 10.47 ERA after two starts, is struggling to get ahead of hitters. “I was able to make an improvement there, but I still wasn’t where I know I’m able to just get that first-pitch strike,” Hamels said after holding Miami to one run in six innings. A result of that has been eight walks and only 12 strikeouts in his first 16 2/3 innings. Hamels is 2-3 with a 3.27 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in nine starts against the Cardinals. Beltran is 10-for-40 with three homers and 10 strikeouts against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Phillies CF Domonic Brown experienced soreness in his back after making a diving catch Wednesday and was to be examined Thursday.

2. The Cardinals are sixth in the majors - third in the NL - with a 3.31 ERA.

3. The Phillies won the season series 5-2 in 2012.

PREDICTION: Phillies 3, Cardinals 2