Milwaukee @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 1, 2016 ) St. Louis 1, Milwaukee 3

Jaime Garcia recorded the best pitching performance of his career earlier this season when he recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts during a one-hit shutout against Milwaukee at home. Garcia gets the chance to duplicate the feat Friday, when the St. Louis Cardinals open a three-game series against the visiting Brewers.

Garcia was unable to match the success when he faced the Brewers in Milwaukee on June 1, giving up two runs and five hits in five innings. The Cardinals are struggling in their own ballpark, and Thursday's 4-2 loss to Kansas City extended their home losing streak to seven games - their longest such skid since 1983. Milwaukee slugger Ryan Braun is playing well as he is 18-for-44 during his 11-game hitting streak. The Brewers have lost 10 of their last 15 games, including an 8-1 setback against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Matt Garza (1-0, 2.81 ERA) vs. Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (5-6, 4.09)

Garza is making his fourth start of the season and has worked six innings in each of his last two. He picked up the victory against Washington on Saturday, when he allowed four runs and seven hits. Garza is 4-4 with a 4.07 ERA in 12 career starts versus St. Louis and has struggled against Matt Adams (8-for-17, one homer), Brandon Moss (7-for-15, one homer), Jhonny Peralta (17-for-37, two homers) and Matt Holliday (11-for-30).

Garcia typically excels against the Brewers as he owns a 10-5 record and 2.71 ERA in 19 career appearances (18 starts). He struggled in June with a 1-2 mark and 5.40 ERA and was touched for five runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings by Seattle on Sunday. Garcia has been able to shut down Braun (10-for-52, one homer) and Aaron Hill (4-for-19).

WALK-OFFS

1. The Cardinals have won 25 of the last 38 meetings and have gone 4-2 this season while outscoring the Brewers 38-13.

2. Milwaukee 1B Chris Carter has recorded just one extra-base hit - a homer - in his last 11 games.

3. St. Louis SS Aledmys Diaz (eye) is expected back in the lineup after missing three contests.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Brewers 2