St. Louis @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 2, 2016 ) St. Louis 2, Cincinnati 3

The Cincinnati Reds have taken more than their fair share of lumps this season, but the cellar-dwelling club has proven to be a tough customer when battling with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Reds will look to even their season series with the Cardinals at seven wins apiece and claim a series victory on Saturday when the National League Central rivals continue their three-game set in Cincinnati.

Zack Cozart, who scored the winning run in the ninth inning of Friday's 3-2 triumph, is 16-for-42 with eight runs scored against St. Louis this season. Veteran Joey Votto sat out the series opener with a stiff neck, but the 2010 NL MVP is considered day-to-day and could return to the lineup to face Saturday starter Jaime Garcia, against whom he is 16-for-42 with six extra-base hits in his career. Yadier Molina has homered in consecutive contests for the Cardinals, who have dropped two in a row and four of six to cling to a two-game lead over the New York Mets for the second wild card. Randal Grichuk has gone deep five times in his last 10 contests for St. Louis, which has homered in a franchise-best 21 consecutive contests -- a stretch that is the longest active streak in the majors.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (10-10, 4.46 ERA) vs. Reds RH Dan Straily (10-7, 3.92)

Garcia labored through the second half of August by dropping his last two outings, surrendering seven homers and 16 earned runs in his last 16 innings. The 30-year-old will look to get back on track with a date versus Cincinnati, against which he improved to 11-4 in his career after working eight strong innings in a 3-2 triumph on Aug. 10. Garcia scattered six hits in that contest after permitting a season-high 13 in 4 2/3 innings of a no-decision versus the Reds on June 8.

Straily hopes a return home will be just what the doctor ordered after yielding career high-tying totals in runs (seven) and homers (four) in 2 2/3 innings of a 9-2 setback at the Los Angeles Angels. The 27-year-old has fared considerably better at Great American Ball Park, posting a 5-1 mark with a 2.94 ERA and 1.09 WHIP while allowing the opposition to bat just .204. Straily pitched well in his last encounter with St. Louis, yielding two runs on five hits in six innings of a no-decision on Aug. 2.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cincinnati RF Scott Schebler collected three singles in the series opener, marking his third three-hit performance in the last 10 games.

2. St. Louis OF Stephen Piscotty is 3-for-23 in his last seven games while 2B Jedd Gyorko is 3-for-20 - albeit with two homers - in his last five.

3. Reds OF Billy Hamilton stole three bases in the series opener to increase his season total to 57, which ties his career high (2015).

PREDICTION: Reds 4, Cardinals 3