St. Louis @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( May 3, 2013 ) St. Louis 6, Milwaukee 1

Adam Wainwright turned in an overpowering performance against Milwaukee three weeks ago and will look for similar success when the St. Louis Cardinals visit the Brewers on Saturday in the third of a four-game set. Wainwright went the distance, striking out a career high-tying 12 without walking a batter in a four-hit shutout against Milwaukee on April 13. He'll be opposed by Yovani Gallardo, who has been tormented by the Cardinals in his career.

St. Louis has won four straight and its starting pitching has dominated the Brewers in five meetings, allowing only two runs in 35 innings. The offense has made the job even easier in the first two games of the series, twice leading 6-1 through 6 1/2 innings. The Cardinals have piled up 27 hits in the first two contests and got homers from Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran on Friday. David Freese, who sat out the final two games versus Cincinnati because of a miserable slump, has consecutive two-hit games.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (4-2, 2.03 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Yovani Gallardo (3-1, 4.25)

Wainwright had a four-start win streak halted last time out against Cincinnati, although he turned in a strong performance by allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings. He has permitted only 10 earned runs in his six starts and has not allowed more than three in any of them. Wainwright is 9-6 with a 1.93 ERA and four complete games in 25 appearances (18 starts) against the Brewers. He has limited Ryan Braun to a .184 batting average with 13 strikeouts in 49 at-bats.

The Cardinals have been a nightmarish opponent for Gallardo, who is 1-10 with a bloated 6.84 ERA in 15 starts against them. He has won three straight starts since losing to Wainwright and St. Louis last month, when he was tagged for six runs (five earned) and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Gallardo has yielded only six runs in his three-game win streak and limited Pittsburgh to two runs (one earned) on three hits over seven innings Monday.

WALK-OFFS

1. Holliday has three homers and eight RBIs in 24 at-bats against Gallardo.

2. Brewers 3B Aramris Ramirez had two hits in his first game since April 5 and CF Carlos Gomez is riding a 10-game hitting streak.

3. Wainwright has yet to surrender a home run this year.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 7, Brewers 2