The Cincinnati Reds (20-27) will be going for the series win when they face the St. Louis Cardinals (21-28) in the third game of their four-game series on Wednesday night.
Ben Lively, 1-2, 2.45 ERA, will get the start for the Reds. The Cardinals will counter with Steven Matz, 0-5, 5.05 ERA.
Cincinnati and St. Louis split their last 10 meetings.
**This preview was written before Tuesday’s game was played**
The Cardinals played well over the past week and they’ve won four of their last six games. They will try to keep the momentum going with a win over the Reds, which will give them their fifth win in their last seven games.
St. Louis is averaging 5.10 runs per game. Their .261 batting average is seventh in the league. Their .335 on base percentage is fourth, while their .438 slugging percentage is sixth.
Nolan Gorman has been the most consistent batter for the Cardinals. He leads the team with a .301 batting average, 13 home runs, and 39 RBI.
St. Louis' pitching hasn’t been good with the team giving up 4.76 runs per game. Opponents have a .266 batting average against the Cardinals, which is 27th in the league. Their 4.32 ERA is 17th, while their 1.44 WHIP is 26th.
In his last start, Matz gave up six hits and one run in 4.2 innings, but the Cardinals lost to the Dodgers 5-0. They will need a similar effort from him if they want to get the win.