Padres vs Cardinals Preview: Pitching Clash Lights Up Week 64

San Diego is feeling good right now. They've won two straight games and sit at 37-33 on the season. The Padres are coming to Busch Stadium ready to battle a Cardinals team that just won their last game. These teams are both fighting hard in a tough division. Michael King takes the mound for San Diego. He's been solid all season with a 3.66 ERA. The Padres need their pitching to stay sharp if they want to keep winning on the road. St. Louis won't make it easy, but San Diego's veteran pitchers know how to compete.

Manny Machado is the heart of the Padres lineup. He's a veteran with tons of Gold Glove awards and big-time power. Jackson Merrill is the exciting young star. The speedy center fielder was an All-Star last year and can impact games with his speed and bat. Xander Bogaerts rounds out the key hitters. These three need to produce runs for San Diego to win. The Cardinals' pitching staff has young arms trying to prove themselves. If the Padres' hitters can get early runs, they put pressure on St. Louis right away.

The Cardinals just won their last game and are sitting pretty at 38-30. St. Louis is playing strong baseball lately, going 7-3 over their last ten games. Dustin May takes the mound for the home team. May has a 5.4 ERA and needs to pitch well against San Diego's lineup. The Cardinals' pitching staff relies on young arms stepping up and proving they can win big games. If May can keep the Padres' hitters off balance, St. Louis has a real shot at taking this game. Both teams are hungry. Both want to climb higher in the standings.