St. Louis @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 30, 2011 ) St. Louis 9, Baltimore 6

The St. Louis Cardinals continue their battle with the American League East when they begin a three-game series at the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. St. Louis completed a three-game home set against Boston by posting a 5-2 victory in the rubber match on Thursday. Kolten Wong homered twice and ace Adam Wainwright worked seven strong innings to join Milwaukee's Wily Peralta as the only 14-game winners in the major leagues as the Cardinals remained one game behind the first-place Brewers in the National League Central.

St. Louis also pulled even with San Francisco atop the NL wild-card standings, one-half game ahead of division rival Pittsburgh. Baltimore owns a five-game lead over Toronto and the New York Yankees in the American League East after registering a 2-1 triumph over the host Blue Jays on Thursday in the rubber match of their three-game series. Caleb Joseph extended his home run streak to four games with a two-run shot as the Orioles won for the fifth time in seven contests.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), MASN (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Justin Masterson (5-6, 5.63 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (8-5, 3.78)

Masterson makes his second start since being acquired from Cleveland after winning his debut Saturday against Milwaukee despite surrendering five runs on seven hits and three walks in six innings. It was the first start since July 7 by the 29-year-old, who had been sidelined with a knee injury after going 4-6 with a 5.51 ERA in 19 outings with the Indians. Masterson's career record in 15 games - 11 starts - against the Orioles remained at 6-5 after a no-decision at Baltimore on May 22 in which he yielded five runs over 5 2/3 frames.

Tillman snapped his six-start winless streak in a big way Sunday, scattering four hits and striking out six over seven scoreless innings against Seattle. The 26-year-old went 0-1 during his drought despite allowing three earned runs or fewer in each outing. Tillman, who never has faced St. Louis, has gone 11 straight starts without yielding more than three earned runs but is just 3-3 in that span.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis RF Oscar Taveras enters Friday with a seven-game hitting streak.

2. Baltimore is expected to activate RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (ankle) from the disabled list to start Saturday's contest.

3. Joseph has tied the club record for consecutive games with a homer by a catcher shared by Gus Triandos (1959) and Ramon Hernandez (2006).

PREDICTION: Orioles 6, Cardinals 1