Cardinals at Athletics preview WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — The St. Louis Cardinals visit the Athletics on Thursday afternoon at Sutter Health Park, with the visitors holding a 24-17 record and the home team sitting at 21-20. First pitch is scheduled for a clear 77-degree afternoon. St. Louis had not announced its starting pitcher as of Wednesday. The Cardinals’ probable options are right-hander Michael McGreevy (3-2) or left-hander Jacob Lopez (3-2). The Athletics had not named their starter. The Cardinals enter the contest following Tuesday’s 6-4 victory over the Athletics in the series opener. St. Louis is 2-0-1 in its past three games, including a 2-1 win at San Diego on May 7 that completed a four-game split. Overall, St. Louis has won three of its past four games after a brief two-game skid against Milwaukee. A player to watch for St. Louis is right-hander Andre Pallante. In Tuesday’s win, Pallante (5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 K) earned the victory. Over his past five starts, Pallante has a 3.30 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 27.1 innings. He held the Athletics to three earned runs in that May 12 outing. The Athletics counter with catcher Shea Langeliers, who homered and drove in three runs in Tuesday’s loss. Langeliers is 13-for-37 (.351) with four home runs and 11 RBIs over his past nine games, including multi-hit efforts in three of his last four contests. Tuesday’s game saw St. Louis second baseman JJ Wetherholt go 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs allowed four earned runs on seven hits over five innings. Brooks Kriske tossed 1.2 scoreless innings in relief. The Interstat game simulator projects a 6-5 Cardinals victory, though the Athletics have been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The over/under is 10. Following this three-game set, the Cardinals return home to host Kansas City for three games starting Friday. The Athletics open a three-game home series against San Francisco on Friday. Thursday’s game marks the second of a three-game series between the clubs. The series concludes Friday afternoon.