A pair of first-place teams square off at Petco Park in the opening game of a three-game series.
St. Louis Cardinals at San Diego Padres
St. Louis is set to begin its six-game road trip against the San Diego Padres, after completing a successful 5-2 homestand against Washington, Florida and the Los Angeles Angels (+194). The Cardinals have produced a 26-19 overall record in large part to their strong pitching staff, raking second in the league with a 3.07 ERA, just behind tonight’s opponent. The team has an even 11-11 record on the road this season (-240), including an even 3-3 mark against the NL West (-55). Runs are tough to come by at Petco Park, which places even more pressure on star 1B Albert Pujols to break out of a slump. The three-time MVP is 3-for-20 in his last six games and doesn’t have an RBI in his last nine.
