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Dodgers-Cardinals Preview

Jul 17, 2010 - 5:36 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (49-40) at St. Louis (48-41), 4:10 p.m. EDT

Even with Manny Ramirez in the lineup, the Los Angeles Dodgers might have trouble scoring runs off St. Louis' Adam Wainwright. That challenge could get even more difficult without the slugger in the mix.

The Dodgers could be minus Ramirez as they try to avoid a third straight loss to Wainwright and the Cardinals on Saturday at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis (49-41) has outscored Los Angeles 15-5 to win the first two games of this series. Looking for a fourth straight victory overall, the Cardinals could face a Dodgers lineup without Ramirez after he was removed in the first inning of Friday's 8-4 loss because of tightness in his right calf.

Batting .317 with eight homers and 39 RBIs in 61 games, Ramirez had been on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring injury before being activated Thursday. He is day-to-day and is expected to be re-evaluated Saturday.

"It wasn't the hamstring where he had the issue," manager Joe Torre said. "He went out to the outfield and I guess it grabbed on him more."

With or without Ramirez, the Dodgers (49-41) will face a tough task against Wainwright (13-5, 2.11 ERA), who has allowed one run and struck out 20 in 23 1-3 innings to win his last three starts.

The All-Star right-hander limited Houston to six hits in eight innings of an 8-0 win July 9, in his final outing before the break.

"I felt just like I have all year," Wainwright told the Cardinals' official website. "I felt really in control of my body and my pitches, working both sides, mixing speeds."

Wainwright is 2-3 with a 3.86 ERA in six starts against Los Angeles. He allowed four runs and a season-high five walks in six innings of a 4-3 loss at Dodger Stadium on June 9.

Wainwright's battery mate Yadier Molina homered and drove in four runs Friday, matching his RBI total from his previous 25 games. Molina is 4 for 8 with five RBIs in this series, bouncing back from a 7-for-71 stretch.

"He's been a good hitter his whole career," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "He's starting from zero and he's had a couple of good days."

Matt Holliday, who is 3 for 5 with four walks in this series, is 7 for 17 against scheduled Los Angeles starter Hiroki Kuroda (7-7, 3.87), who will look to avoid a third straight loss.

The right-hander has given up 10 runs over 8 2-3 innings in his last two outings. He allowed four in seven innings of a 4-0 loss to Florida on July 7.

Kuroda has a 1.38 ERA without a decision in two career starts against St. Louis. He allowed four hits in seven innings of a 1-0 win over the Cardinals on June 8.

James Loney had three hits with an RBI on Friday for the Dodgers, who had 13 hits but stranded 12 runners while falling to 3-13 at new Busch Stadium.

"Throughout the season, that makes the difference in almost every game when the big hits happen," Dodgers infielder Jamey Carroll said.

Los Angeles All-Star Rafael Furcal, a lifetime .342 hitter against the Cardinals, is 7 for 19 versus Wainwright.