San Diego @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 31, 2014 ) St. Louis 6, San Diego 2

The St. Louis Cardinals look to strengthen their position in the postseason race when they begin a four-game series against the streaking San Diego Padres on Thursday. St. Louis rode a terrific pitching performance from newcomer Justin Masterson to a 5-2 victory on Wednesday, salvaging the finale of its three-game set against Miami and completing a disappointing 2-4 road trip. With the triumph, the Cardinals climbed within two games of first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central.

St. Louis also maintained its slim half-game lead over San Francisco for the second NL wild-card spot as Matt Adams delivered a two-run single while Matt Carpenter collected three hits and scored twice. San Diego enters the series with a winning streak that reached five contests with Wednesday's 5-3 triumph over Colorado that completed a three-game sweep. Rymer Liriano and Abraham Almonte hit their first major-league and NL home runs, respectively, while Jedd Gyorko went 4-for-4 as the Padres remained six games behind the Cardinals in the wild-card race.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Stults (5-13, 4.76 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (12-8, 3.98)

Stults has rebounded nicely from a rough outing at Atlanta on July 27, allowing a total of two runs - one earned - and nine hits over 12 2/3 innings in his last two starts - both victories. The 34-year-old, who has gone three straight turns without yielding a home run, had won only one of his previous 13 starts. Stults is 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA in two career outings against St. Louis.

Lackey was pounded in his second start since being acquired from Boston, surrendering season highs of nine runs and 13 hits over five innings of a 10-3 defeat at Baltimore on Saturday. The 35-year-old served up three home runs, the most he has allowed since yielding four against the Yankees in New York on April 12. Lackey has numbers against San Diego that are identical to Stults' versus St. Louis, giving up six runs over 11 1/3 frames while splitting two starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Diego INF Yangervis Solarte suffered a strained left oblique while making his second major-league start at shortstop on Wednesday and is day-to-day.

2. St. Louis has won four of its last six at home but only three of eight overall.

3. Padres 1B Yonder Alonso did not play Wednesday due to a strained right forearm and could be headed to the disabled list for the second time due to the injury.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Padres 1