Arizona @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 5, 2013 ) Arizona 10, St. Louis 3
The St. Louis Cardinals will be glad to say goodbye to Paul Goldschmidt on Thursday as they attempt to gain a split in the finale of their four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. After delivering an RBI single in the 14th inning on Tuesday to give Arizona a 7-6 victory, Goldschmidt highlighted a five-run seventh in Wednesday's 10-3 triumph with his second grand slam in five days. The first baseman, who belted his first career slam Saturday against the Chicago Cubs, is 19-for-46 (.413) with 17 RBIs over his last 11 games.
The National League West-leading Diamondbacks have won four of their last five to improve to 4-3 on their eight-game road trip. St. Louis, which sits atop the NL Central, is 4-4 on its nine-game homestand. The Cardinals have lost consecutive games for the first time since dropping three in a row from April 27-29.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona, Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Ian Kennedy (3-3, 4.74 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Shelby Miller (6-3, 1.82)
Kennedy is coming off his second straight win, a road victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday in which he allowed four runs on three hits over seven innings. The 28-year-old has not lost since May 5, when he surrendered five runs in 5 2/3 frames against the San Diego Padres. Kennedy defeated St. Louis in his season debut to improve to 2-3 with a 7.14 ERA in five career starts against the Cardinals.
Miller was superb in his most recent outing, scattering six hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings in a victory over San Francisco on Saturday. The 22-year-old, who is 3-1 with a miniscule 0.79 ERA in five home starts this season, has allowed fewer than four runs in each of his 11 overall turns. Miller will be facing Arizona for the first time in his career.
WALK-OFFS
1. Goldschmidt leads the NL with 53 RBIs.
2. St. Louis 3B David Freese and 2B Matt Carpenter are riding career-best hitting streaks of 15 and 14 games, respectively.
3. Cardinals C Yadier Molina on Wednesday served his one-game suspension for bumping an umpire over the weekend.
PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Diamondbacks 3