Southpaw Jordan Montgomery gets the start for St. Louis. The Cardinals are 0-10 in Montgomery's last 10 starts. The Reds faced Montgomery on May 22. They got to him for four runs on seven hits and three walks in four innings. The Reds have the seventh-highest batting average against left-handed pitching.

Cincinnati starter Ben Lively is below-the-radar. He has a 3.03 ERA. He faced the Cardinals on May 24 and gave up two runs on five hits in six innings while striking out eight and walking two.

The Reds should enter this series with confidence having just taken two of three from the Dodgers.

The Cardinals have yet to get turned around. They are 2-7 in their last nine games. St. Louis is averaging 2.5 runs in its last five games.