Athletics at Cardinals
A pair of third-place teams looking to keep the pressure on their respective division leaders meet Tuesday in St. Louis, where the hometown Cardinals take on the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a two-game interleague series. St. Louis lost Sunday night to the Los Angeles Angels but won nine of its previous 13 and has reduced its deficit in the National League Central to two games entering Monday.
Meanwhile, the Athletics have shaved four games off their gap in the American League West over the past couple of weeks, although they also fell Sunday with an 8-2 loss to Tampa Bay at home. Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty will try to end a string of six straight starts without a win when he gets the call in the opener. Oakland counters with Chris Bassitt as it begins a six-game road trip looking to build upon a 6-4 homestand. The teams have played five previous series, with the Athletics taking two of three in the last two encounters in 2013 and 2016.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), FS Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Chris Bassitt (4-3, 3.64 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Jack Flaherty (4-4, 4.24)
Bassitt picked up a win with 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball against Baltimore on Wednesday, striking out six and yielding a season low-tying two hits. He has gone through 23 innings in June without allowing a home run after serving up seven in 29 1/3 frames in May. The University of Akron product is 0-3 despite a 3.49 ERA in his interleague career.
Flaherty took the loss his last time out despite allowing three runs and four hits over seven innings with eight strikeouts. He is 3-2 with a 2.49 ERA at home while holding opponents to a .185 average. The 23-year-old has a 3.90 ERA in five career interleague starts and will be facing the Athletics for the first time.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis RHP Jordan Hicks has a torn UCL and the team is determining whether or not its hard-throwing closer will need surgery.
2. Cardinals SS Paul DeJong is 0-for-13 over his last three contests and 2-for-25 over a six-game stretch.
3. Oakland has won 12 of its last 16 on the road.