Cincinnati Reds (71-82) at St. Louis Cardinals (85-68), 8:15 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - John Lackey will return to the mound for the first time in nine days on Friday evening when his St. Louis Cardinals begin a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds.
Lackey, who the Cardinals acquired from the Boston Red Sox on July 31 for Allen Craig and Joe Kelly, had his last start skipped due to arm fatigue. The right-hander is 2-2 with a 5.05 earned run average in eight starts with St. Louis, allowing 13 runs -- 10 earned -- over his past three starts.
His last appearance only lasted two-plus innings as he was ejected with nobody out in the third inning on Sept. 10 versus the Reds for arguing balls and strikes. Lackey had yielded two runs on four hits and two walks prior to his exit, which resulted in a no-decision.
Lackey, 35, is 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA lifetime versus the Reds in three starts.
St. Louis has won five of its last six and leads Pittsburgh for first place in the National League Central by 2 1/2 games. The Cards almost lost a game off that lead, but rallied to beat Milwaukee 3-2 in 13 innings on Thursday.
The Cardinals scored twice in the eighth inning to tie the game, then won it on Tony Cruz's single in the 13th.
"We know what's at stake ... so this is a huge team win," Cruz said.
St. Louis hopes to move closer to a division title against a Cincinnati squad that has plated a mere three runs over a four-game slide. After getting shut out in back-to-back games to begin a three-game set with Chicago, the Reds were bested 3-1 by the Cubs in Wednesday's finale.
Manager Bryan Price shook up his lineup and inserted a number of younger players, but still couldn't avoid a loss that was the club's 82nd of the season, sealing up a first losing season for the franchise since 2011.
"It does matter that the guys played hard," said Price. "Those young guys were out there busting their tail."
Price turns to young arm tonight in 23-year-old David Holmberg, who is coming off his first career victory.
Making his fifth appearance of the season and third start, Holmberg gave up one run on two hits and a pair of walks over six innings to beat Milwaukee 5-1 on Saturday. He moved to 1-1 on the year with a 6.00 ERA.
"I just believe this September is hugely important for David simply to have the opportunity to pitch and get more comfortable as we head into 2015," Price said.
Holmberg's victory came one start after the lefty held the Cardinals scoreless over 5 2/3 innings of a no-decision, scattering four hits and two walks.
The Cardinals are 10-6 versus the Reds this season, though lost three of four to the club in Cincinnati recently from Sept. 8-11.