Preview: Dodgers at Cardinals

[May 29, 2015]  The top two teams in the National League square off for the first time since a playoff encounter last October when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a three-game series on Friday. The Cardinals have knocked the Dodgers out of the postseason each of the last two years, including a Division Series victory capped by a 3-2 win over Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw on Oct. 7.

St. Louis won both of its home games in that series and is 18-5 at Busch Stadium in 2015 after a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks to begin the week. The Dodgers have also been excellent at home (21-7) but have stumbled away from Chavez Ravine, posting a 7-11 mark. Starter Mike Bolsinger has followed that trend with three excellent home starts this month for Los Angeles and will be looking to continue his hot stretch opposite Cardinals right-hander John Lackey. The 36-year-old sports a 1.93 ERA in 11 career games against the Dodgers.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Mike Bolsinger (3-0, 0.71 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (2-3, 3.18)

Bolsinger retired 23 straight batters at one point and faced the minimum 24 in an eight-inning masterpiece Saturday against San Diego, recording a career-high eight strikeouts. He has not allowed a run in 18 2/3 consecutive frames since giving up a first-inning solo homer against Miami three starts ago. The 27-year-old, who has never faced the Cardinals, has held opponents to a .167 average.

Lackey is coming off a rain-shortened loss at Kansas City in which he gave up three runs in five innings and again received little run support in a 3-2 setback. The Cardinals have scored a total of three runs over the last three starts for Lackey, who is 2-1 with a 1.63 ERA at home. The veteran let up a run in seven frames to lead St. Louis to a win in Game 3 of the Division Series on Oct. 6.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals LF Matt Holliday's streak of reaching base to begin the season is at a franchise-record 43 games, 10 behind Derek Jeter's major-league mark (1999).

2. Los Angeles 1B Adrian Gonzalez is 6-for-17 with a double against Lackey.

3. Dodgers C Yasmani Grandal is eligible to come off the seven-day concussion disabled list Saturday.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Dodgers 3

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.