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Cardinals-Brewers Preview

Sep 8, 2010 - 5:09 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

St. Louis (72-63) at Milwaukee (63-74), 8:10 p.m. EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals received a much-needed boost from Jaime Garcia in his last start. The Cardinals could use another solid outing from the rookie left-hander.

Garcia looks to win his fourth consecutive start and help the Cardinals avoid consecutive losses to the Milwaukee Brewers in Wednesday night's series finale at Miller Park.

Garcia (13-6, 2.35 ERA) struck out six in 6 2-3 solid innings of Friday's 3-2 victory over NL Central-leading Cincinnati, helping St. Louis snap a season high-tying five-game losing streak.

"He knows what's at stake," manager Tony La Russa said of his Rookie of the Year contender. "Not just who we're playing, just the fact we've had trouble winning the game. He pitched well - he's done it so many times."

Trailing Cincinnati by six games with 26 to play, St. Louis (72-64) could use a stopper again following Tuesday's 4-2 loss.

Garcia, 3-1 with a 0.67 ERA in his last four starts, has yielded three runs or fewer in all but two of his 23 outings versus NL opponents.

That includes four starts against the Brewers. Garcia is 2-1 with a 1.08 ERA versus Milwaukee, including six innings of one-run ball in a 7-1 victory at Miller Park on April 10 that was his second career win, and first as a starter.

Looking for their first series win at home versus St. Louis since May 9-12, 2008, the Brewers (64-74) counter with Chris Capuano (2-3, 4.62).

The veteran left-hander, 1-2 with a 5.94 ERA in four starts in 2010, lasted five innings in Friday's 1-0 loss at Philadelphia, surrendering one run and four hits before leaving with tightness in his groin. It was Capuano's second start since replacing the struggling Manny Parra in the rotation.

"I was at 80 pitches and this was my second start after being in the bullpen for a while," he told the Brewers' official website. "... With my pitch count, I thought it was smart to come out when I did. Other than that, my arm felt good and everything else felt good."

Capuano, who is 4-5 with a 5.59 lifetime ERA versus St. Louis, makes his first start against the Cardinals since 2007. He threw one inning of shutout relief in a 12-5 win in St. Louis on July 3.

Albert Pujols has no homers and is batting .129 in his last nine games, but the two-time reigning NL MVP is 15 for 27 with three homers against Capuano. Pujols is three RBIs shy of reaching 100 for the 10th consecutive season.

Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday, 8 for 19 with two home runs at Miller Park this season, is 8 for 20 with a homer versus Capuano.

Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder is batting .379 (11 for 29) with two homers and six RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak. Fielder is 3 for 13 versus Garcia.

Third baseman Casey McGehee is 3 for 10 with a homer against the Cardinals starter.

This contest will decide the season series between these clubs, which have split 14 meetings in 2010.