Cincinnati @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 10, 2018 ) St. Louis 3, Cincinnati 6

The St. Louis Cardinals have been spinning their wheels in the National League Central after splitting 10 contests in July. The Cardinals (47-44) look to find their rhythm and maintain their dominance of the Cincinnati Reds (41-52) on Friday when the division rivals open a three-game series at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

St. Louis answered a season-high 14-run offensive explosion Tuesday with a dud the following night, going 0-for-10 with six strikeouts while batting with a runner on base in a 4-0 setback to the struggling Chicago White Sox. Yadier Molina had one of his team's four hits Wednesday but has done considerably better this season versus Cincinnati, against which he is 15-for-38 with three home runs and 14 RBIs. While the Cardinals have won nine of 10 encounters versus the cellar-dwelling Reds in 2018, the latter club had emerged victorious in seven of 10 before a 19-4 shellacking by Buckeye State-rival Cleveland on Wednesday. Cincinnati native Scooter Gennett launched a solo homer to highlight his three-hit performance against the Indians and is 12-for-42 with seven RBIs against St. Louis this season.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Matt Harvey (4-5, 4.80 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (6-4, 3.05)

Harvey saw his three-start winning streak halted by a no-decision Saturday, with the bullpen largely to blame after failing to protect a 7-3 lead against the Chicago Cubs. The 29-year-old allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings in that encounter and aims for better results versus St. Louis, against which he has a pair of no-decisions this season. Harvey permitted one run in two innings while pitching for the New York Mets on April 24 before getting blitzed for three homers and five runs total over six frames June 8.

Martinez won his third straight start Saturday after allowing one run on six hits over seven innings in a 3-2 triumph at San Francisco. The 26-year-old Dominican owns a 1-1 mark with a 2.70 ERA in three starts against Cincinnati this season, although he has 23 strikeouts and 14 walks in that stretch (16 2/3 innings). Martinez has flustered Joey Votto (3-for-22, 14 walks), although Eugenio Suarez (6-for-17) and Adam Duvall (5-for-15) have gotten their licks in on the hurler.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cincinnati 2B Jose Peraza, who is 6-for-22 on the current road trip, is batting .309 away from home this season.

2. St. Louis SS Paul DeJong has scored eight times during his seven-game hitting streak.

3. Reds RF Jesse Winkler is 9-for-26 against the Cardinals this season.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Reds 2