Padres vs Cardinals Preview: Pitching Duel in Week 64

San Diego just dropped two straight to St. Louis. The Cardinals scored 3 runs in each game while the Padres managed only 2 runs total. That's rough. But here's the thing—San Diego is 37-34 and still fighting. They're on a losing streak now, so this Wednesday game is huge. Jackson Merrill doubled in the last game and showed some spark. Manny Machado needs to wake up his bat. The Padres' pitching staff is their real strength. Michael King leads the rotation and keeps games tight. If San Diego's hitters can scratch some runs across, King and the bullpen have a real shot to steal this one.

The Cardinals are 39-31 and just won their last game. They're playing great at home with a 20-16 record at Busch Stadium. Look at how St. Louis attacked the Padres the last two days. Jordan doubled and scored. Church singled. Nootbaar hit a sacrifice fly. These guys are moving runners and scoring runs the right way. Kyle Leahy will pitch for St. Louis. The Cardinals' staff relies on young arms stepping up. If their hitters stay sharp and the pitching holds, St. Louis can push their winning streak higher and keep climbing in the standings.

Manny Machado is the ace hitter San Diego needs right now. He's slumping with a .189 average, but he's still the team leader. Jackson Merrill is young and hungry. He showed flash with that double yesterday. Xander Bogaerts is trying to find his form too. These three must produce runs today. Merrill's speed and power matter. Machado's veteran bat and defense matter. The Padres need their stars to shine under the lights at Busch Stadium. If they break through against Kyle Leahy, this game turns completely.