St. Louis @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 8, 2016 ) St. Louis 3, Milwaukee 4

The Milwaukee Brewers will look to record a rare series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday afternoon, when the National League Central rivals play the second contest of their three-game set at Miller Park. St. Louis, which is 12-0-1 in its last 13 series with Milwaukee, stumbled out of the blocks and suffered a 4-3 setback on Friday for just its third loss in 10 encounters with the Brewers this season.

Jonathan Villar set off the fireworks on Friday with an RBI single to plate Kirk Nieuwenhuis with two outs in the ninth inning. The 25-year-old Villar has reached base in 13 of his last 14 contests but is just 6-for-27 with 10 strikeouts in his career versus the Cardinals. While Milwaukee has answered a four-game skid by winning three of its last four, St. Louis has been unable to take advantage of first-place Chicago's woes - dropping four of its last five. Aledmys Diaz is 14-for-42 with five RBIs in 10 games versus the Brewers this season, including a homer off Saturday starter Chase Anderson last weekend.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (7-6, 2.90 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Chase Anderson (4-9, 5.49)

Martinez saw his winless stretch extend to four games on Monday despite allowing just three runs and striking out seven in as many innings of a 4-2 setback to Pittsburgh. The 24-year-old Dominican has surrendered just four runs and 25 hits in those four starts (27 innings) but has an 0-1 record to show for it. Martinez was masterful in his last outing versus Milwaukee on May 30, improving to 2-1 lifetime against the club by scattering five hits and striking out eight in as many frames of a 6-0 victory.

Anderson suffered his third loss in as many starts on Sunday as he allowed three runs and issued five walks in 4 1/3 innings of a 9-8 setback to St. Louis. The 28-year-old has yielded 16 runs and 18 hits in 10 2/3 frames during his losing streak. Anderson has pitched significantly better at Miller Park this season, posting a 3-3 mark with an ERA that is a full run lower (4.54) than his season average.

WALK-OFFS

1. Milwaukee 1B Chris Carter homered twice on Friday and has gone deep four times versus St. Louis this season.

2. Cardinals SS Greg Garcia is 4-for-12 with three runs scored in his last three games.

3. Brewers OF Ryan Braun is mired in a 1-for-12 stretch after a four-hit performance versus St. Louis on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 3, Brewers 2