As muggy, humid and hot as it is, the Padres are truly enjoying a trip to St. Louis for the first time in quite some time.
The Padres have won the first two games to at least split this four-game set. A win on Wednesday or in Thursday’s matinee will secure their first win at Busch Stadium since 2019.
The Padres are 3-9 over that stretch, which includes outscoring St. Louis 14-9 over the first two games of this series.
That puts the Padres ahead in the season series, 3-2, despite losing two of three to St. Louis in April at Petco Park.
A win on Wednesday or Thursday would also secure both the season series against the Cardinals as well as the Padres’ 10th series in the 12 played since the All-Star break.
They are 26-9 over that stretch and one percentage point behind the Diamondbacks in the race for the NL’s top wild-card spot.
The Cardinals are 10 games behind the Padres and seven games out of the last playoff spot.
Wednesday’s first pitch is at 4:45 p.m.
Here is how both teams will line up:
Ready for another round of Cards? pic.twitter.com/dqyyYOcMeh
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 28, 2024
Andre Pallante takes the mound for Game 3! pic.twitter.com/M8AND3Vnv3
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) August 28, 2024
Wednesday’s pitching matchup
Padres RHP Joe Musgrove (4-4, 4.43 ERA)
His pitch count has progressed from 63 to 73 to 75 over seven shutout innings in a win on Friday over the Mets, his first victory since April 21. Musgrove beat the Cardinals with six innings of one-run ball in April in San Diego.
Here is how Musgrove has fared against current Cardinals:
Cardinals RHP Andre Pallante (6-6, 3.84 ERA)
The UC Irvine product has a 1.83 ERA over his last three starts, which includes back-to-back seven-inning wins over the Dodgers and Twins. Pallante has thrown 7⅔ innings of two-run ball over five relief appearances against the Padres, the last a shutout inning in April at Petco Park.
Here is Pallante’s history with current Padres:
