St. Louis @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 7, 2018 ) St. Louis 3, Miami 2

Matt Carpenter's homer binge cooled off toward the end of last month but he has regained his power stroke just in time for the St. Louis Cardinals. Carpenter delivered a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning Tuesday to lift St. Louis to a 3-2 victory in Miami, setting up a rubber match between the Cardinals and Marlins on Wednesday night.

Carpenter's blast was his fifth in his last eight games and National League-leading 30th of the season, helping St. Louis win for the eighth time in 12 games. "It’s not the hitter I’ve ever been," Carpenter said of his emergence as an elite home run threat. "I’m developing into somebody I’ve never dreamt of or tried to be like. I don’t have an explanation for it." Paul DeJong added a two-run homer in Tuesday's win and Marcell Ozuna is 5-for-8 in the series against his former club. Derek Dietrich had three of the six hits for Miami, which has dropped seven of eight and scored three runs or fewer in six straight games.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH John Gant (3-4, 4.12 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Trevor Richards (3-6, 3.92)

Gant was knocked around in his last outing at Pittsburgh, taking the loss after giving up six runs and eight hits over just four innings. The 26-year-old has not pitched more than five innings in each of his last four turns, although he yielded a total of two earned runs in the previous three starts. Gant has made nine appearances away from home, posting an 0-1 record with a 4.80 ERA.

Richards was a hard-luck loser at Philadelphia on Friday despite limiting the Phillies to one run and four hits while striking out seven over five innings. The 25-year-old turned in quality starts in each of his previous three turns and permitted one run over 18 2/3 innings but wound up with only one win and a pair of no-decisions. Richards is 2-2 with a 3.05 ERA in seven starts at Marlins Park.

WALK-OFFS

1. Carpenter has reached base safely in 26 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors.

2. Marlins RH Kyle Barraclough was removed from the closer's role, manager Don Mattingly announced Tuesday.

3. Cardinals RH Bud Norris has converted 22 of 25 save chances.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Marlins 3