History says Reds won't blank Cardinals again tonight
The St. Louis Cardinals couldn't say goodbye to the Cincinnati Reds fast enough last week. After winning the opener 4-1, the Cardinals were shut out in consecutive games by 4-0 and 1-0 scores.
The shutouts were an anomaly for a Cincinnati club that has not pitched well the last 3 1/2 weeks. The Reds have posted a 4.85 team ERA since July 11, the second highest mark in the National League. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have posted a 2.72 ERA, lowest in the majors.
St. Louis pitchers again will have Joey Votto to deal with. The first baseman's numbers since the All-Star break are outrageous.
Votto is a big part of Cincinnati's success at the top of the lineup. The second through fourth spots in the Reds' lineup are quite formidable.
JOEY VOTTO'S STATISTICS SINCE THE ALL-STAR BREAK
| Statistic |
MLB rank* | |
| Batting average |
.491 | 1st |
| Walks | 26 | 1st |
| On-base percentage | .635 | 1st |
| On-base plus slugging percentage | 1.446 | 1st |
| * Ranks based on minimum 50 plate appearances |
The Cardinals are scheduled to face two right-handers (Anthony DeSclafani on Tuesday, Michael Lorenzen on Thursday) and one left-hander (David Holmberg on Wednesday) in the series, which could work to their advantage. The Cardinals hit right-handed pitching much better than they hit southpaws.
REDS' STATISTICS BY #2 THROUGH #4 LINEUP SPOTS IN 2015
| Statistic | MLB rank | |
| Home runs | 63 | 4th (1st in NL) |
| On-base percentage | .367 | 3rd |
| Slugging percentage | .512 | 1st |
| OPS | .879 | 1st |
St. Louis' starter Tuesday night, John Lackey, has been much more effective at home than on the road this season.
CARDINALS' HITTING VS. LHP AND RHP IN 2015
| Statistic | Vs. LHP (MLB rank) |
Vs. RHP (MLB rank) |
| Batting average | .238 (24th) | .263 (5th) |
| OPS | .679 (23rd) |
.729 (12th) |
The reverse is true for Lackey's opponent, DeSclafani.
JOHN LACKEY'S HOME AND AWAY NUMBERS IN 2015
| Statistic | Home | Away |
| Record | 7-3 | 2-3 |
| ERA | 1.89 |
4.19 |
| Opponent average with RISP | .169 | .318 |
| Strikeout/walk ratio | 3.89 | 2.13 |
| Home runs/nine innings pitched | 0.42 | 1.17 |
ANTHONY DESCLAFANI'S HOME AND AWAY NUMBERS IN 2015
| Statistic | Home | Away |
| Record | 2-5 | 4-2 |
| ERA | 5.69 | 2.41 |
| Opponent batting average |
.315 | .202 |
| Home runs/nine innings pitched | 1.29 | 0.38 |
MOST TOTAL BASES BY NL THIRD BASEMEN IN 2015
| Third baseman (primary position), team |
Total bases |
| Todd Frazier, Reds | 221 |
| Nolan Arenado, Rockies | 221 |
| Matt Carpenter, Cardinals |
162 |
| Matt Duffy, Giants | 153 |
| Kris Bryant, Cubs | 151 |
