Cardinals at Rockies
The first-place St. Louis Cardinals are struggling mightily on the road versus the National League West this season as they try to avoid a three-game sweep to the Rockies in Colorado on Thursday afternoon. St. Louis fell to 2-9 against the division, scoring two or fewer runs in eight of the contests, after a second straight 2-1 loss at Coors Field on Wednesday.
The Cardinals, who have won 23 of their last 32 games, lead the NL Central by four games over the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs with 17 to play. St. Louis is 4-4 in its last eight contests despite its starters allowing two or fewer runs in each game, yielding six in 53 innings. The Cardinals' Miles Mikolas takes the ball Thursday and tries to improve on his road statistics (3-8, 5.83 ERA) as he opposes rookie Tim Melville, who makes his fifth career start. Colorado has clinched its first series victory over St. Louis since 2017 and its first of any kind since sweeping three from Miami from Aug. 16-18 before losing six straight.
TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Miles Mikolas (8-13, 4.25 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Tim Melville (2-1, 3.66)
Mikolas received a no-decision after permitting one run, three hits and a season-high four walks in five innings of St. Louis' 9-4 loss at Pittsburgh on Friday. The 31-year-old Florida native allowed five runs in his last three starts over 17 innings after yielding five earned runs in each of his previous three turns. Colorado's Nolan Arenado is 4-for-9 with two home runs against Mikolas, who has no record and 6.05 ERA in five games (three starts) after allowing five runs in six innings of the Cardinals' 6-5 victory Aug. 22.
Melville permitted two runs, five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of a 3-2 victory at San Diego on Friday. The 29-year-old Virginia native bounced back after enduring the worst start of his brief career, when he allowed five runs and seven hits in two innings of an 11-4 loss to Pittsburgh. Melville has yielded 19 hits with 19 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis 1B Paul Goldschmidt is the active leader in RBIs against the Rockies with 105 after driving in a run Wednesday and is 9-for-23 with five RBIs in six games versus Colorado this season.
2. Arenado on Wednesday went 1-for-1 with three walks and is batting .336 with 16 home runs and 29 RBIs since Aug. 1. Arenado has 38 home runs and 110 RBIs this season - the same numbers he produced in 2018.
3. The Cardinals' final 16 games - nine at home - beginning Friday versus Milwaukee are all against clubs with winning records, including seven with the Cubs.