Cincinnati @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 14, 2018 ) Cincinnati 8, St. Louis 2

The Cincinnati Reds' offense is feasting on the St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen this weekend. The Reds will try to pound their way to a series sweep and take some momentum into the break when they visit the Cardinals for the finale of the three-game set on Sunday.

Cincinnati bashed the St. Louis bullpen for six runs in Friday's 9-1 triumph - after which manager Mike Matheny, hitting coach John Mabry and assistant hitting coach Bill Mueller were fired - and took advantage after a lengthy rain delay forced the Cardinals to go to the bullpen again on Saturday. Rookie right-hander Jack Flaherty breezed through five scoreless innings while scattering two hits for St. Louis and went into the delay with a 2-0 lead before Mike Mayers, Jordan Hicks, Greg Holland and Bud Norris combined to allow eight runs over the final four frames. Reds second baseman Jose Peraza is doing the most damage and went 5-for-6 on Saturday to improve to 8-for-11 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the series. The Cardinals will try to avoid going to the bullpen with All-Star Miles Mikolas on the mound Sunday opposite fellow right-hander Anthony DeSclafani.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Anthony DeSclafani (4-1, 4.43 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Miles Mikolas (10-3, 2.65)

DeSclafani has allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of his last six starts and is coming off his best outing of that span after holding Cleveland to one run and five hits in a season-high seven innings on Monday. The 28-year-old did surrender a home run in that outing and served up nine blasts in 30 2/3 innings over his last five outings. DeSclafani did not yield a homer at home against St. Louis on June 10 and earned a win despite allowing a season-high 10 hits in five innings.

Mikolas will take one more turn in the Cardinals' rotation before heading to Washington for the All-Star Game on Tuesday and is cruising into the break on a stretch of four straight outings allowing two or fewer runs. The 29-year-old got plenty of support from his offense in Tuesday's 14-2 win at the Chicago White Sox and breezed through six innings while striking out six and scattering two runs on three hits. Mikolas faced Cincinnati twice in April and earned a pair of wins while surrendering a combined two earned runs in 14 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds 2B Scooter Gennett is 6-for-13 with a pair of home runs in the last three games and leads the NL with a .328 batting average.

2. St. Louis, which named bench coach Mike Shildt as the interim manager after parting ways with Matheny, has totaled three runs in dropping its last three games.

3. Cincinnati RF Scott Schebler (shoulder) left Saturday's game after slamming into the wall while making a catch.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Reds 3