San Diego @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 19, 2013 ) San Diego 6, St. Louis 9

The St. Louis Cardinals continue playing a soft spot in their schedule when they host the San Diego Padres on Saturday in the middle contest of a three-game series. St. Louis, which is two games ahead of Pittsburgh and five in front of Cincinnati in the National League Central, handed San Diego its 19th loss in 23 games by posting a 9-6 victory on Friday. The Cardinals were without left fielder Matt Holliday, who missed his fourth straight game with a right hamstring strain.

St. Louis (58-36) is a season-high 22 games over .500 and owns the best winning percentage in baseball (.617), but stiffer challenges are coming soon. After completing their six-game homestand Wednesday, the Cardinals embark on a crucial 10-game road trip against NL East-leading Atlanta, Pittsburgh (five games) and Cincinnati. San Diego's Edinson Volquez and St. Louis' Lance Lynn - Saturday's starters - struggled in their final outings prior to the All-Star break, allowing a combined 14 runs in 9 1/3 innings.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FSN (San Diego), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Edinson Volquez (6-8, 5.74 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (11-4, 4.00)

As San Francisco's Tim Lincecum no-hit San Diego, Volquez yielded eight runs and nine hits over five innings in a 9-0 loss on July 13. The 30-year-old is 2-5 with a 5.58 ERA in nine starts against St. Louis, including a 10-2 loss on May 21 in which he allowed five runs and eight hits over six frames. The Cardinals' roster is hitting .313 versus Volquez, who wouldn't mind if Holliday (8-for-20, two home runs) missed another game.

Lynn is 7-0 with a 2.44 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in nine home starts this season but struggled prior to the All-Star break. The 26-year-old is 1-3 with a 6.12 ERA in his last four starts, including a 6-4 road loss to the Chicago Cubs on July 13 in which he yielded six runs and a season-high 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings - his shortest outing since his first start of 2013. Lynn also allowed two home runs to the Cubs after permitting only five in his previous 18 outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Holliday took batting practice Thursday for the first time since before the All-Star break and ran lightly for 10 minutes prior to Friday's game. He is considered day-to-day.

2. St. Louis C Yadier Molina leads the NL in hitting with a .340 average - one of four Cardinals in the top 10. 1B Allen Craig is second at .334, with 2B Matt Carpenter fifth (.326) and RF Carlos Beltran 10th (.309).

3. The Padres are 74-149 all-time in St. Louis, including 6-19 at the new Busch Stadium.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Padres 2