New York @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2011 ) NY Mets 5, St. Louis 6

THE STORY: After two consecutive nights of late-inning heroics from unexpected sources, the St. Louis Cardinals are on the verge of a three-game sweep of the New York Mets – and they're putting the heat on the Atlanta Braves in the National League wild-card race. St. Louis has won 12 of 14 after taking the first two games from the Mets, and the Cardinals are only 1 1/2 games behind Atlanta going into the final game of the series Thursday at Busch Stadium.

TV: 1:45 p.m. ET, SNY, Fox Sports Midwest

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Chris Capuano (11-12, 4.47 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Jake Westbrook (12-9, 4.58 ERA).

Capuano's 11 wins are his most since 2006 with Milwaukee. The 33-year-old picked up his first win in three starts this month when he beat the Braves on Friday, allowing two runs over five innings. In 13 starts and one relief appearance against the Cardinals, Capuano is 5-5 with a 5.18 ERA.

Westbrook struggled with his control in his last outing, issuing five walks and leaving with one out in the third despite allowing only two runs (one earned). He took the loss in a 9-2 defeat at Philadelphia. Westbrook is 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA in two starts against the Mets. He won his only start against them this season, allowing two runs on four hits over eight innings of a 6-2 win July 21 in New York.

ABOUT THE METS (73-82): New York has lost nine of 11 to fall a season-worst nine games below .500. The Mets are now assured of their third consecutive losing season. They still have a shot at the franchise's first batting champion, though, as Jose Reyes enters the day tied with Milwaukee's Ryan Braun for the NL lead at .330. Reyes leads Braun by a fraction of a point.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (86-69): David Freese was the hero Wednesday, driving in a season-high five runs, including three on a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning. That was a night after Ryan Theriot's two-run, pinch-hit double and Adron Chambers' three-run triple broke open a close game. Jason Motte recorded the final four outs Wednesday – though he allowed a two-out home run to Willie Harris in the ninth – for his eighth save. All eight have come this month.

FINAL PITCH: Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols has reached base in 37 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors. Pujols is 17-for-30 (.567) with four home runs and 11 RBIs against Capuano.