St. Louis @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 18, 2016 ) Detroit 2, St. Louis 0

The St. Louis Cardinals flexed their muscles by erupting for eight homers and 18 runs total as they strengthened their hold on the second wild card in the National League with back-to-back victories. The Cardinals (78-62) aim to continue their power display on Friday as they begin their final interleague series of the season with the opener of a three-game set versus the Detroit Tigers (57-83) at Comerica Park.

Matt Adams homered twice against his former team and Marcell Ozuna matched a career high with four hits in Wednesday's 7-6 triumph over Washington. Ozuna belted a pair of solo shots in St. Louis' 11-8 win on Tuesday after going 0-for-8 with three strikeouts in his previous two games since coming off the disabled list due to inflammation in his right shoulder. Like the Cardinals, the Tigers also showed some power by recording 18 runs in back-to-back victories versus the Chicago White Sox -- highlighted by four homers in a 10-2 romp on Wednesday. Mikie Mahtook is batting .341 since Aug. 23 after going deep in both of those contests for Detroit, which has won three of its last four after losing seven of its previous eight.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Austin Gomber (5-0, 2.77 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Daniel Norris (0-3, 5.49)

The Cardinals are a perfect 7-0 this season in games pitched by Gomber, who improved to 4-0 with a 2.52 ERA in a starting role after allowing two runs for the third straight outing. The 24-year-old rookie overcame 10 hits but did not walk a batter over a season-high seven innings in last Friday's 12-5 triumph versus Cincinnati. "This guy is not going to give in. He's going to bear down and make tough pitches and he did that," manager Mike Shildt said of Gomber, who helped his cause with a two-run double in the second.

Norris permitted two runs on one hit -- a homer -- in 4 1/3 innings of Saturday's 2-1 setback at the New York Yankees in his first start since returning from a four-month absence following groin surgery. The 25-year-old exited the contest with a cramps in his left calf, but he reported no issue afterward and is expected to be set to pitch versus St. Louis. "My breaking balls were good and my fastball is still true and has a little life on it," Norris told the Detroit News. "I'm still getting some swings and misses, even at 91 and 92 mph. … I feel like I can absolutely compete at this level right now."

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis 1B Matt Carpenter has hit safely in four of his last six games, collecting a homer, five RBIs and four runs scored in that stretch.

2. Detroit RF Nicholas Castellanos is 10-for-30 with a homer, three RBIs and six runs scored in his last seven contests.

3. Cardinals C Yadier Molina is expected to play in the series opener after exiting Wednesday's game with left hamstring tightness.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Tigers 2