Reds look to turn tables against division foe in opener vs. Cardinals

The Cincinnati Reds are feeling pretty good, having won four of five and nine of their past 12 games even with a loss in their most recent game.

But while the Reds are rolling, they now will have to overcome their struggles against National League Central rivals when they kick off a three-game series against the host St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

Cincinnati is 1-6-1 in series it has played against its division foes this season, winning just 10 of 23 games overall. Its lone series win came in a sweep against the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates, and that was over two months ago.

"I think we're playing our best baseball right now," Reds left fielder Gavin Lux said. "The Cardinals are good, so I think just going in there and trying to go in and ride the momentum we have right now. This is what we're capable of ... so we've just got to keep rolling like that."

This weekend's series will be the second of the season between the Reds and Cardinals, who split a four-game set from April 28 to May 1.

"We're playing really great baseball," said pitcher Nick Martinez, who started in Cincinnati's 12-5 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. "Ten hits (on Thursday), five runs. ... We're winning games (lately) and we're playing really good baseball. Everyone is invested."

Brady Singer (7-4, 4.34 ERA) will take to the mound in the opener. It'll be the third career appearance against the Cardinals for the right-hander, who is 0-2 with a 4.00 ERA in nine innings against them.

St. Louis, meanwhile, enters the series looking to build off a series sweep of the Chicago White Sox. The Cardinals capped off a doubleheader with an 8-6 win, recovering for the victory after their 6-1 lead was erased in the seventh inning.

They've now won four of five after a six-game losing streak.

Nolan Arenado notched his 350th career home run in the second game of the doubleheader, becoming one of seven players in major league history to reach the mark while also earning at least 10 Gold Glove awards.

"It's hard to do what he does on the daily and play for as long as he has and put up the numbers that he has on both sides of the baseball," St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said.

The third baseman had three hits in the latest win and is 12-for-35 in his past nine games and has raised his season average to .247.

"This year hasn't gone the way I would like thus far, but I feel like it's turning," Arenado said. "I'm having really good at-bats. It's a lot better than what it was. If I continue to hit the ball hard, I think good things happen."

Right-hander Andre Pallante (4-3, 4.83 ERA) is expected to get the nod for the Cardinals. He is 5-2 with a 2.18 ERA in 16 career appearances (six starts) against Cincinnati.

--Field Level Media