St. Louis @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 11, 2014 ) St. Louis 7, Milwaukee 6

After erasing a six-run deficit for a signature victory, the visiting St. Louis Cardinals look to pull even with the reeling Milwaukee Brewers atop the National League Central when the rivals reconvene at Miller Park on Saturday. Matt Holliday has been riding quite the hot stretch, capped by his go-ahead solo homer in the ninth inning in St. Louis' stirring 7-6 triumph Friday. The slugger is 7-for-14 with five runs scored and four driven in during his last four games.

While the Cardinals are riding high with seven wins in their last 10, the Brewers hit a new low after watching an early six-run advantage evaporate en route to their sixth straight loss and 10th in 11 outings. Although deflated by his team's troubles, Ron Roenicke wasn't interested in discussing the congested division standings after the game. The manager closed the clubhouse to the media and cited a death in the family of an undisclosed player as his reason.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (11-4, 1.79 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Jimmy Nelson (1-0, 0.00)

Wainwright pieced together his sixth consecutive dominant start after tossing seven strong innings in a 2-0 victory over Pittsburgh on Monday. The 32-year-old has allowed four runs and 33 hits in 45 2/3 innings during that stretch. Wainwright has made himself at home on the road, posting a 7-3 mark with a stingy 1.32 ERA while limiting the opposition to a .193 batting average.

Nelson, recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Thursday, is Milwaukee's No. 1 prospect and will be taking Marco Estrada's spot in the rotation. The 25-year-old enjoyed considerable success with the Sounds, boasting a 10-2 mark, a 1.46 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 111 innings. Nelson, who has made just two starts and five career appearances, scattered five hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a 7-1 victory over Miami on May 25.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis 2B Kolten Wong, who homered Friday, has gone deep four times since returning from the disabled list July 6.

2. Milwaukee RF Ryan Braun has hit safely in 11 of his last 13 games, but is 9-for-52 in his career versus Wainwright.

3. Cardinals SS Jhonny Peralta is 7-for-16 with a homer and three RBIs in his last four games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 3, Brewers 1