Watch Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals MLB streaming 14/8

While their manager drew a suspension, the St. Louis Cardinals are probably relieved that right-hander Chris Carpenter avoided the same fate from a bench-clearing brawl earlier this week.Watch Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals MLB streaming 14/8 WATCH LIVE NOW

While attempting to help the Cardinals add to their lead in the NL Central, Carpenter will try to match his longest win streak of the season Saturday against the reeling Chicago Cubs.

The Cardinals (65-49) enter the matchup leading Cincinnati by one game following a 6-3 victory in Friday night's opener of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis manager Tony La Russa began serving his suspension in that win and will complete his punishment Saturday for his part in a first-inning melee with the Reds during an 8-4 win Tuesday night.

Carpenter (13-3, 2.89 ERA), meanwhile, was fined for a yelling match with Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker, which aggravated the conflict.Watch Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals MLB streaming 14/8 WATCH LIVE NOW

"Dusty had something to say, I had something to say, and the next thing you know all hell broke loose," Carpenter said.

Reprieved from any further punishment, the right-hander will try to craft another impressive outing in what's been a superb season. He's 4-0 with a 1.79 ERA over his last six starts and 3-0 with a 1.15 ERA in his past four at home.

He's been even better there against the Cubs in recent seasons, going 2-0 with a 0.46 ERA in his last five matchups. Carpenter is 1-0 with a 2.73 ERA in two starts against Chicago (48-68) this season and 10-3 with a 2.79 ERA in 19 all-time meetings.

The Cubs, losers of 14 of 16, will give Carlos Zambrano (3-6, 4.56) his second start since returning from a team suspension July 31. The right-hander gave up two runs and four hits over five innings in his return to the rotation Monday but also walked seven during a 4-3, 11-inning defeat to San Francisco.

"The good thing was I was able to throw five innings," he said. "I felt good. I've been working hard for this moment."

Zambrano, who made two scoreless relief appearances against the Cardinals earlier this season, is 5-1 with a 1.13 ERA in 10 career starts in St. Louis. He's 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in his last two starts against the NL Central rivals after putting up a 16.62 ERA in his previous three.

Zambrano will have to contend with a red-hot Albert Pujols, who is batting .458 with six homers and 14 RBIs over his last 11 games. The Cardinals first baseman, who hit his 395th career home run Friday, is 16 for 61 (.262) with five homers against the right-hander.

Derrek Lee, who also homered Friday night in his return from tending to an ailing grandfather, has more hits off Carpenter (16) than any other batter. However, he's hit just one home run in 52 official at-bats against the right-hander.

Aramis Ramirez, who could return Saturday from a bout with sore ribs, is tied for second on that list with 15 hits in 51 at-bats.

The Cardinals are seeking their fourth consecutive series win at home over the Cubs and have taken eight of 10 meetings there since the beginning of last season.

Watch San Diego Padres vs San Francisco Giants MLB-str3am | Live Stream 14/8

The San Francisco Giants lost another chance to make up ground on the division-leading San Diego Padres, who continued to dominate their NL West rivals. Watch San Diego Padres vs San Francisco Giants MLB-str3am | Live Stream 14/8 WATCH LIVE NOW

Perhaps no one's been more responsible for that success than Mat Latos.

One of Latos' three strong starts against San Francisco was a one-hitter at AT&T Park, and the Padres' blossoming ace can lead his club to a sixth straight win while dropping the Giants 4 1/2 games back Saturday afternoon.
San Francisco (66-51) came into this series with a chance to move into first place if it could sweep San Diego (68-46), which starter Jonathan Sanchez boldly predicted would happen.Watch San Diego Padres vs San Francisco Giants MLB-str3am | Live Stream 14/8

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After the opener, though, it's the Padres who have a chance to sweep. Chase Headley drove in two runs off Sanchez and Heath Bell got his fourth save in four days in San Diego's 3-2 win.

The Padres have outscored the Giants 30-18 in winning eight of nine in the series, holding them to two runs or fewer in each victory.

"It was intense out there. That's the way our games have been going against them," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "They're shutting us down and winning these tight games."

Two of those come with Latos (12-5, 2.36 ERA) on the mound, including his outstanding performance May 13 in San Francisco. The right-hander surrendered only a sixth-inning infield single to Eli Whiteside while striking out six in a 1-0 victory.

Overall, Latos is 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA in three starts against San Francisco. Whiteside (3 for 7) and Pablo Sandoval (3 for 9) are the only Giants to have some semblance of success against Latos.

Latos will likely see a new face in the lineup Saturday. San Francisco acquired outfielder Jose Guillen from Kansas City on Friday, a risky move for a player hitting .151 since the All-Star break who has a history of disrupting clubhouses.

"He's a talented player who can come in and help in so many ways," second baseman Freddy Sanchez said. "We have a fun clubhouse. At the end of the day everybody wants to win."

The Giants hope Guillen can help solve Latos, who is seeking his 11th straight start allowing two runs or fewer. He held Arizona to two hits over six scoreless innings in a 10-1 win Sunday, tying Jake Peavy's 2004 franchise record at 10 in a row.

Latos walked four -- all in the first three innings -- before settling down.

"It was me not being aggressive, not going after guys, nitpicking," Latos told the Padres' official website. "I need to trust myself and get back to going after hitters."

Latos has walked two Giants in 22 innings.

San Diego gets its first look in 2010 at rookie Madison Bumgarner (4-4, 3.36), who made his major league debut against the Padres on Sept. 8. The left-hander gave up two runs over 5 1/3 innings before leaving without a decision in the 4-3 loss.

Bumgarner had a four-game winning streak in which he posted a 1.35 ERA shortly after he came up in June, but he's been just average lately. He's 0-2 with a 5.74 ERA in his last three starts after allowing three runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-3, 11-inning win over the Chicago Cubs on Monday.

Headley came into the series a .185 hitter against lefties, but had two hits off Sanchez. He's 2 for 2 with two walks against Bumgarner, who's 0-2 with a 4.82 ERA in three home starts.

Watch Baltimore Orioles Vs Tampa Bay Rays Baseball-stream | Live stream August 14

The Baltimore Orioles clearly are a vastly improved team under Buck Showalter. Beating one of baseball's best teams on the road is the latest evidence of that.Watch Baltimore Orioles Vs Tampa Bay Rays Baseball-stream | Live stream August 14 WATCH LIVE NOW

The Orioles look to win four straight series for the first time in six years Saturday when they continue a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays.

On pace earlier this season to challenge the 1962 Mets for the worst record in baseball history, the Orioles (41-75) have won nine of 11 since Showalter took over for the majors' best record in that span.

Baltimore swept the Angels in its first series with Showalter, then took three of four from the White Sox before winning two of three against Cleveland in the team's first road series under its third manager this season.Watch Baltimore Orioles Vs Tampa Bay Rays Baseball-stream | Live stream August 14

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The resurgence continued Friday night at Tropicana Field as Jeremy Guthrie and two relievers combined on a three-hitter in a 5-0 victory. Adam Jones had a two-run triple and Luke Scott hit his team-leading 22nd homer, helping the Orioles to a rare win against an AL East team other than Boston.

Baltimore is 11-35 against its own division, with six of those wins coming versus the Red Sox.

A victory either in this game or Sunday would give the Orioles four straight series wins for the first time since August 2004.

"It's not a coincidence that we've turned it around since Buck showed up," Guthrie said. "He hasn't done anything necessarily different to make us win games, but we know what he expects. No magic formula, but maybe a kind of a good shift for us in gears."

Timely hitting again keyed a victory for Baltimore, something that was extremely rare before Showalter arrived. The Orioles are batting .382 with runners in scoring in their last 11 games after they hit a league-worst .217 before Aug. 3.

The wild card-leading Rays (69-46) lost for the seventh time in nine games. They failed to convert on seven opportunities with runners in scoring position and are 4 for 42 over the past four games.

"We have to keep working through it," manager Joe Maddon said. "I believe in our guys. It's just one of those moments that are very difficult."

Guthrie gave the Orioles their 10th quality start in 11 games under Showalter. That stretch includes two strong outings from rookie Brian Matusz (4-11, 5.08 ERA), who hopes for another Saturday.

The left-hander was very good Monday against the White Sox, allowing one run and three hits over six innings before leaving without a decision in a 3-2 victory. He has surrendered two total runs in his past two starts after giving up at least three in each of his previous four outings.

Matusz is 2-0 with a 5.09 ERA in three career starts against the Rays, posting wins in both games at Tropicana Field.

Andy Sonnanstine (2-1, 3.98) makes his second start after spending most of this season in the bullpen. The right-hander pitched well in his first start after nearly a month on the disabled list (strained left hamstring), but he had the misfortune of being matched up with Toronto's Brandon Morrow on Sunday. Morrow came within one out of a no-hitter and struck out 17 in the Blue Jays' 1-0 victory.

Sonnanstine gave up one run and three hits over 5 1/3 innings.

In eight starts against the Orioles, Sonnanstine is 2-4 with a 7.55 ERA.

Jones is 5 for 8 with two homers and two doubles against him.