Preview: Cardinals at Reds

[April 10, 2015]  The Cincinnati Reds look for their first 4-0 start since 2011 when they host the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a three-game set on Friday night. The Reds earned a 3-2 walk-off win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday to complete an impressive sweep in a series that featured rain delays in all three games totalling four hours, 23 minutes.

"You play 162 games and see where you are when the dust settles," Cincinnati manager Bryan Price told reporters. "That being said 3-0 is a nice start for us." The Cardinals hope to bounce back from a disappointing 2-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday afternoon. St. Louis wasted a solid start by Lance Lynn, who fanned nine batters and surrendered one earned run on two hits over six innings to fall to 12-2 in April in his career. The Cardinals look to continue their recent dominance of the Reds as they won five of the six series played between the NL Central division rivals last season.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest ( St. Louis), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RHP John Lackey (2014: 14-10, 3.82 ERA) vs. Reds RHP Jason Marquis

Lackey began the 2014 campaign with the Boston Red Sox, compiling an 11-7 record with 116 strikeouts before being traded to the Cardinals for outfielder Allen Craig and RHP Joe Kelly at the end of July. The 36-year-old has posted at least 10 wins in 11 consecutive years and hopes the trend continues in his first full season in the National League. Lackey is 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA and 17 strikeouts in four games against the Reds.

Marquis makes his first big-league start since July 19, 2013 following Tommy John surgery in 2013 and a stint with the Philadelphia Phillies' farm team last season. The 36-year-old journeyman, who has played for nine different teams including St. Louis, looks to shake off the rust and show the kind off stuff that saw him make seven playoff appearances with the Cardinals from 2004-06. Marquis is 121-114 with 1,137 strikeouts in 309 career starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Lackey and Marquis have made a combined 663 starts.

2. Reds CF Billy Hamilton is 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts this season.

3. The Cardinals were held to three runs in the two games against the Cubs.

PREDICTION: Reds 6, Cardinals 4

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