Preview: Cardinals at Reds

[September 12, 2015]  The St. Louis Cardinals are off to a shaky start on their 10-game road trip, opening it with an 11-0 drubbing by the Cincinnati Reds before rain forced a suspension of Friday's game with the teams tied at 2-2 in the eighth inning. The Cardinals and Reds will play Saturday's regularly scheduled game 40 minutes after the conclusion of the suspended contest, which begins at 12:30 p.m. ET.

The suspended game caused St. Louis to have its lead atop the National League Central trimmed to four games over Pittsburgh, which knocked off Milwaukee. The Cardinals got a much-needed solid start from John Lackey on Friday after their pitching staff was raked over for 38 runs in the previous five games. Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto received a two-game suspension from Major League Baseball on Friday for "inappropriate actions" in Wednesday's ejection, but he is appealing the punishment. Anthony DeSclafani will make the 43rd straight start by a rookie for the Reds, extending their league record, and be opposed by Lance Lynn.

TV: (suspended game) 12:30 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis); 1:05 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (11-9, 3.12 ERA) vs. Reds RH Anthony DeSclafani (8-10, 3.75)

After missing one start with a sprained ankle, Lynn lasted only 2 1/3 innings in a loss to the Chicago Cubs on Monday, giving up six runs and seven hits. He had won his previous two starts, permitting a combined two runs over 13 innings, to reach double digits in victories for the fourth consecutive season. Lynn held the Reds to one run over seven innings on July 27 to improve to 7-3 with a 3.51 ERA against them.

DeSclafani put an end to a five-start winless drought with a strong performance against Pittsburgh last time out, giving up one run on seven hits over 7 1/3 innings. DeSclafani has not surrendered a home run in each of his last three starts and has limited the opposition to three runs of fewer in eight of his last nine turns. He won back-to-back starts against the Cardinals on July 27 and Aug. 2, yielding two runs in 13 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds CF Billy Hamilton stole two bases Friday and is 10-for-10 against St. Louis C Yadier Molina.

2. Cardinals 1B Brandon Moss is hitless in his last 19 at-bats.

3. Reds C Ramon Cabrera hit his first major-league homer in his fourth career game.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Reds 2

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