Reds at Cardinals
The Cincinnati Reds look to sweep an abbreviated two-game set when they visit the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday afternoon. The Reds posted a 4-1 victory in the series opener before Wednesday's game was postponed due to rain, thus shortening the set to two contests.
Jose Peraza reached base three times and drove in two runs on Tuesday as he has gone 6-for-16 over the last five games to raise his batting average to .213. Yasiel Puig belted his 11th homer of the season in the series opener, one of just two hits in 19 at-bats over the last five contests for the Cuban. Matt Carpenter hit his 24th career leadoff shot on Tuesday as St. Louis had its four-game winning streak halted. Dexter Fowler has hit 12 career homers against the Reds, but he fanned twice while going 0-for-4 in the opener and is just 7-for-53 with 18 strikeouts in his last 17 games.
TV: 1:15 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Anthony DeSclafani (2-3, 4.97 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Dakota Hudson (4-3, 3.94)
DeSclafani struggled in May by going 1-2 with a 5.59 ERA in six starts. The 29-year-old native of New Jersey allowed three runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings in a loss to Pittsburgh in his last turn. DeSclafani is 6-2 with a 3.45 ERA in 12 career appearances (11 starts) against Arizona - including 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in two starts this season - but has struggled with Carpenter (11-for-24, three homers) and Paul Goldschmidt (8-for-15, one homer).
Hudson tossed six strong innings en route to winning his second straight decision on May 30, allowing one run and four hits against Philadelphia. "It's a continuation of what he's been doing," Cardinals manager Mike Shildt told reporters. "He controlled his counts, imposed his will, had stopper stuff. He's a smart guy." The 24-year-old rookie faced Cincinnati at home on April 27, when he gave up three runs and seven hits over 5 2/3 frames in a 6-3 victory.
WALK-OFFS
1. Carpenter is batting .302 with five homers and 11 RBIs over his last 16 contests.
2. Cincinnati RHP Raisel Iglesias has not allowed a run in his last 11 appearances and owns a 13-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 11 innings during that stretch.
3. St. Louis recalled RHP Ryan Helsley from Triple-A Memphis and optioned LHP Genesis Cabrera to the same affiliate.