Conley, Wacha Take Mound In Series Finale
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ST. LOUIS (SportsDirect Inc.) -- Tommy Pham and Stephen Piscotty are heating up in July and the St. Louis Cardinals would love to follow their lead.
Pham homered twice in the series opener and Piscotty ripped a two-run double the following night for the Cardinals, who will look to win the rubber match of the three-game set with the visiting Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon.
Pham collected two hits in Saturday's 5-0 triumph to improve to 8-for-17 with three homers, five RBIs and four runs scored during his five-game hitting streak.
Piscotty's double extended his hitting streak to seven games and his production in the month to 16-for-44 with three blasts, 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored.
While St. Louis has gone deep on five occasions in the series and 122 times this season, Miami mustered just three hits against Adam Wainwright on Saturday to see its four-game winning streak halted.
Adeiny Hechavarria collected two of the hits to improve to 3-for-7 in the series after a 1-for-17 stretch in his previous five games.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Adam Conley (6-5, 3.62 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (5-7, 4.36)
Conley won his second straight start and third in four outings on July 9 after allowing two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings in a 4-2 victory over Cincinnati. The 26-year-old has struck out 22 batters against six walks in his last four outings after issuing five free passes versus Colorado on June 17. Conley will be making his 30th career start and first against St. Louis on Sunday.
Wacha was thwarted in his bid to win his fourth straight start on July 8, as he allowed three solo homers in 6 2/3 innings of a no-decision at Milwaukee. The 25-year-old had kept the ball in the park in each of his previous two outings and five of seven overall. Like the rest of the team, Wacha has struggled at home this season with a 2-4 mark and 4.70 ERA while allowing the opposition to bat .289 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Miami 2B Derek Dietrich is 0-for-9 in his last three contests after going 5-for-11 in his previous three.
2. St. Louis SS Aledmys Diaz saw his seven-game hitting streak come to an end Saturday, but has six runs scored in his last eight contests.
3. Marlins injured 1B Justin Bour (right ankle sprain) has yet to make a rehab start and is likely to remain sidelined despite being eligible to return from the disabled list on Monday.
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