Seattle @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 13, 2013 ) Seattle 1, St. Louis 2

The St. Louis Cardinals had good fortune on their side in the opener of the series, and they seek their seventh win in eight games when they host the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. St. Louis had only four hits in a 2-1, 10-inning victory and both runs were unearned, with Nick Franklin’s error on a pop-up in the eighth setting up the tying run and the decisive tally coming on a passed ball by Mariners catcher Mike Zunino. Seattle has lost five straight games.

Friday’s victory pushed St. Louis back atop the National League Central, one game ahead of Pittsburgh and 3 1/2 in front of Cincinnati. All-Star catcher Yadier Molina went hitless in his first contest since missing back-to-back games due to his mother’s illness, but he threw out two runners attempting to steal in the ninth. The Mariners, who clinched their fourth consecutive losing campaign with Friday’s loss, are playing the second contest of a 10-game road trip.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH James Paxton (1-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (3-0, 2.72)

Paxton made his major-league debut against Tampa Bay on Sept. 7 and pitched six solid innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits, with the runs scoring on Evan Longoria’s homer. Paxton was 8-11 with a 4.45 ERA at Triple-A Tacoma before his recall.

Wacha has put together back-to-back sterling starts in which he allowed just five hits over 13 scoreless innings. He gave up three hits in six frames in a no-decision against Cincinnati on Sept. 3 and defeated Pittsburgh five days later, when he gave up two hits in seven innings. Wacha is limiting opposing batters to a .210 average.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis LHP Kevin Siegrist recorded the win Friday and has pitched 19 1/3 scoreless innings over his last 20 appearances.

2. Friday’s loss dropped Seattle to 1-6 all-time in games played in St. Louis.

3. Cardinals 2B Matt Carpenter smacked his 49th double on Friday, tying him with Baltimore’s Manny Machado for the major-league lead.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Mariners 1