(My Sportsbook) - Both the Cardinals and Diamondbacks are trying to break out their big bats in bids for playoff spots. One day after combining for eight homers, St. Louis and Arizona resume a three-game series tonight at Chase Field.

While the Cardinals' offense has had success this year, swinging a powerful bat hasn't been the Diamondbacks' strong point this year. St. Louis leads the National League with a .281 batting average and is third in runs scored (665) and seventh in homers (150). Arizona, meanwhile, is hitting just .252 as a club -- 12th in the NL -- and is eighth in runs scored (632) and 10th in homers (135).

However, Arizona got homers out of Adam Dunn, Chris Young, Mark Reynolds and Stephen Drew in Monday's 8-6 win, with Drew becoming the third player in team history to hit for the cycle. He did so on the same day Seattle's Adrian Beltre also hit for the cycle, marking just the second time in MLB history that two players did so on the same day. The first was on September 17, 1920, when Bobby Veach of the Detroit Tigers and George Burns of the New York Giants both accomplished the feat.

Former Cardinal David Eckstein, acquired from Toronto, had two hits and two RBI in his Arizona debut, as the Diamondbacks snapped a two-game slide while winning for just the second time in eight games. The club has scored just three runs in dropping back-to-back games.

The win kept Arizona 2 1/2 games in front of Los Angeles for the NL West lead after the Dodgers downed San Diego Monday night.

Justin Upton left last night's game after being hit in the head during a pickoff attempt at first base in the eighth inning. He is questionable for tonight's game due to dizziness.

Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Joe Mather and Felipe Lopez all swatted homers in the loss for St. Louis. Cesar Izturis added three hits as the Cardinals dropped their fourth straight test. However, the club remained 6 1/2 games back of Milwaukee for the NL wild card spot after the Brewers also lost on Monday.

Pujols, meanwhile, is 28-for-54 (.519) in his last 14 games and leads the majors with a .363 average. He is a lifetime .333 hitter versus Arizona, notching eight homers and 36 RBI in 46 games against them.

He is also 3-for-4 lifetime against Yusmeiro Petit, who starts tonight for the Diamondbacks.

Petit has won his last two starts, including his last outing on August 23 versus the Florida in which he gave up just one run on two hits with six strikeouts over six innings.

The 23-year-old righty has been solid for the club in dual capacities this year. He is 3-2 with a 2.65 earned run average in six starts this season while posting a 3.29 ERA in nine relief outings.

Petit is 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in two games (1 start) lifetime versus St. Louis.

Adam Wainwright counters for the Cardinals and has given up just 12 runs over his last six starts (4-1). He has yielded just three runs in two starts since returning from a disabled list stint due to a finger injury and got a no- decision versus Milwaukee on Wednesday. He gave up three runs (2 earned) on eight hits over six innings in that one.

The right-hander is 7-3 with a 3.04 ERA this year and 1-2 with a 3.52 ERA in two starts and three relief outings lifetime against Arizona.

St. Louis and Arizona are meeting for the first time since the Diamondbacks won four of seven meetings a year ago, including all three matchups in Phoenix. The D'Backs are 9-6 in their last 15 games against the Cardinals, with a 7-1 mark in the desert.