(My Sportsbook) - The
Arizona Diamondbacks try and stave off postseason elimination this afternoon when they wrap up a four-game series with the
St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
The Diamondbacks' tragic number fell to one on Wednesday, as Adam Wainwright held Arizona to a pair of runs in six-plus innings, helping St. Louis to a 4-2 victory.
With Los Angeles' win over San Diego, Arizona now sits four games back of the NL West-leading Dodgers. Another win by Los Angeles or a loss by the Diamondbacks will eliminate Arizona and give the Dodgers the division title.
Wainwright (11-3) gave up seven hits with five walks and two strikeouts in the win while Adam Kennedy had a pair of hits and knocked in a run for the Cards, who were officially eliminated from postseason contention Tuesday and won for just the fourth time in 14 games.
Stephen Drew and Conor Jackson had three hits apiece while Chris Young had an RBI for the D-Backs, who have dropped two in a row.
Mark Reynolds also struck out in the loss to match the major league record for strikeouts in a season with 199 set by Philadelphia's Ryan Howard in 2007.
Max Scherzer (0-4) is still searching for his first career win after a five- inning start in which he yielded four runs -- two earned -- on seven hits and a pair of walks while striking out four.
Getting the call for the D'Backs tonight will be left-hander Doug Davis, who is 6-8 with a 4.25 ERA. Davis received a no-decision for the fourth straight game on Saturday in Colorado, as he allowed a pair of runs and six hits in six innings of his team's 5-3 win.
Davis has faced the Cards 14 times (13 starts) and is 4-5 against them with a 5.01 ERA.
St. Louis, meanwhile, will counter with righty Joel Pineiro, who has lost his last two starts. Pineiro was charged with the loss on Saturday in Chicago, as the Cubs reached him for five runs (three earned) and six hits in six frames, dropping him to 6-7 to go along with a 5.21 ERA.
Pineiro has yet to record a decision against the D'Backs, but has pitched to a 3.60 ERA against them in three outings, one of which was a start.
Arizona took two of three from the Cards earlier in the season. St. Louis, though, has won seven of its last 10 at home in this series.
