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Cardinals-Diamondbacks Preview

Jun 12, 2010 - 6:00 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

St. Louis (33-27) at Arizona (24-37), 8:10 p.m. EDT

After ending a four-game losing streak, the next task for the St. Louis Cardinals is to try to beat a former teammate.

Dan Haren looks to improve to 4-0 in his career against the Cardinals on Saturday night when the Arizona Diamondbacks continue a three-game home series.

The right-hander is 3-0 with a 4.29 ERA versus the Cardinals, with whom he began his career from 2003-04. He got credit for a 9-7 victory over St. Louis on April 20, when he gave up seven runs over six innings but went 4 for 4 at the plate.

"It was hard to go out there with that lineup having given up seven runs," Haren said after that game. "I'd be lying if I told you that didn't creep into my head, am I going to give up 12 runs? But I did what I could."

Haren (6-4, 4.83 ERA) pitched well enough to win Monday, giving up three runs over 5 2-3 innings in a 7-4 victory over Atlanta.

St. Louis (34-27) managed only six hits in Friday's series-opening 5-2 win, but one of them was Brendan Ryan's three-run home run in the seventh inning. Ryan had been mired in an 0-for-16 slump before his blast.

"It's just incredibly frustrating," Ryan said. "That at-bat ... I was really just saying I would rather be late than roll over something. I was going to be aggressive with runners in scoring position, so I was just hoping he'd make a mistake and he ended up throwing a hanging slider. I was just glad I hit it."

The Cardinals are batting .192 with a total of 15 runs over their last five games. Albert Pujols is 2 for 18 with a solo homer in that span, while Matt Holliday is 3 for 19 with no RBIs.

Pujols is 2 for 16 with a solo homer against Arizona (24-37) this season.

Center fielder Colby Rasmus returned after missing three games with a sore left calf and went 0 for 4 for St. Louis. Infielder David Freese, who has been limited to pinch-hitting duties the last five games due to a right ankle problem, is still a day or two away from returning.

The last-place Diamondbacks have split eight games heading into the final two of this homestand. Friday's loss was especially frustrating as they stranded a season-high 16 runners.

"We had a plenty of guys on base and plenty of opportunities for a key hit, and put some nice swings on some balls," manager A.J. Hinch said.

The Cardinals will give rookie Adam Ottavino (0-1, 5.06) his third career start. He was a first-round pick in 2006, and is thrilled to be in the big leagues.

"I worked three years waiting for that day, and that was a lot of anticipation over a long period of time," Ottavino said.

The right-hander remains in search of his first career win after allowing two runs over five innings last Saturday in a 5-4, 11-inning victory over Milwaukee.