St. Louis @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 7, 2018 ) St. Louis 3, San Francisco 2

The St. Louis Cardinals look to continue their successful road trip and recent strong performance against the San Francisco Giants when the teams wrap up a four-game series Sunday. The Cardinals have won six of their last eight against the Giants, outscoring San Francisco 48-23 over that span.

St. Louis won 3-2 on Saturday to improve to 4-2 on its nine-game trip, which will conclude with two games against the Chicago White Sox. The Giants have totaled only 10 runs while losing five of their last six games, hitting .167 over that stretch. Brandon Belt had three of the team’s eight hits Saturday, including the only one that went for extra bases, and drove in both of San Francisco’s runs. "I think we're seeing a lot of really good pitchers," Belt told reporters. "Sometimes it's hard to diagnose, but we faced some guys that threw to us really well. … It's something we're having to grind through right now. But we know what this team is capable of, and we will get through it."

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Jack Flaherty (3-4, 3.19 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (1-3, 2.58)

Flaherty has lost his last two starts, allowing eight runs over 10 innings after a dominant stretch in which he gave up just two runs in 18 1/3 frames across his previous three outings. The 22-year-old permitted four runs across six innings in a loss at Arizona on Tuesday. The Cardinals have totaled only four runs in Flaherty’s last three starts.

Bumgarner posted his fourth straight quality start but took the loss Monday at Colorado, allowing three runs (two earned) over six-plus innings. The 28-year-old ace threw 15 scoreless frames across his previous two outings and has allowed only two runs in three home turns since coming off the disabled list. Bumgarner is 3-5 with a 4.38 ERA in eight starts against the Cardinals.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis INF Jedd Gyorko is 8-for-19 with five extra-base hits and seven RBIs in his past five games with an at-bat.

2. Cardinals C Yadier Molina (right shoulder soreness) is expected to be back in the lineup after getting a day off Saturday.

3. The Giants placed 2B Joe Panik (strained groin) on the disabled list before Saturday’s game and purchased the contract of INF Chase d’Arnaud from Triple-A Sacramento.

PREDICTION: Giants 3, Cardinals 2