Los Angeles @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 22, 2016 ) LA Dodgers 3, St. Louis 4

The St. Louis Cardinals aim for their sixth consecutive victory when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game set. St. Louis followed an impressive comeback win over San Diego on Thursday with another in the series opener, as Jedd Gyorko belted a two-out solo homer in the ninth inning to knot the contest before Matt Adams launched a shot in the 16th for a 4-3 triumph.

Aledmys Diaz recorded two hits for the fourth straight game for the Cardinals, who improved to 6-2 on their 10-game homestand and 25-28 overall at Busch Stadium. Los Angeles fell to 3-4 on its nine-game road trip despite another tremendous night at the plate by rookie Corey Seager. The 22-year-old posted his second four-hit performance of the season to improve to 13-for-31 during his six-game hitting streak. Justin Turner also continued his torrid pace, recording two hits - including a home run - to move to 12-for-32 with five blasts and 12 RBIs over the first seven games of the Dodgers' trek.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Kenta Maeda (8-7, 3.25 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Mike Leake (7-7, 4.00)

Maeda was unable to build on a stellar effort in his final start of the first half, as he was tagged for five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings of a loss at Arizona on Sunday. The 28-year-old native of Japan limited San Diego to one run and two hits over seven frames on July 10 while registering a season-high 13 strikeouts. Maeda, who never has faced St. Louis, is 5-2 with a 3.31 ERA in nine starts on the road.

Leake is coming off back-to-back impressive outings, winning both after losing each of his previous three starts. The 28-year-old Californian allowed one run and six hits over seven innings in a victory at Milwaukee on July 10 and giving up identical totals in six frames of a win over San Diego eight days later, registering a total of 21 strikeouts in the triumphs. Leake evened his career record against the Dodgers at 4-4 on May 15, when he yielded just one run and five hits over six innings in a win at Los Angeles.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals LF Matt Holliday was in the lineup Friday, one day after being grazed on the nose by a pitch, but went 0-for-7 while Dodgers OF Yasiel Puig made a pinch-hitting appearance after leaving the team's game on Thursday with tightness in his right hamstring.

2. Los Angeles optioned LHP Julio Urias to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday and recalled C/INF Austin Barnes, who doubled in the series opener after going 2-for-19 in 10 games earlier this season.

3. Gyorko has gone 10-for-19 with five home runs and eight RBIs over his last five contests.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 4, Cardinals 3