(Photo credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images)

The St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres are in the fight for the final National League wild- card slot.

They are facing each other seven times in a span of 11 days.

And their rivalry is heating up.

After benches and bullpens cleared during the previous two games in St. Louis, the Cardinals will host the Padres in the finale of a four-game series.

St. Louis won 9-7 Thursday and 3-0 Friday, then the Padres prevailed 3-1 Saturday night. Cardinals slugger Willson Contreras and Padres star Manny Machado each got hit twice by pitches.

'No one likes getting hit,' Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. 'But it's going to happen from time to time. But I think you have two teams that are fighting hard for what's next and I don't have an issue with it.'

The trouble started Friday when Padres pitcher Nick Pivetta hit Contreras with a pitch, triggering some back-and-forth between the two.

'I don't hit very many guys,' Pivetta said. 'For him to stare at me and, I feel like, from my side, try to intimidate me ... I'm not going to back down. I'm going to go out and do my thing. I'm going to control the inside part of the plate.'

Contreras shrugged off Friday's incident.

'I think it was just part of the game,' Contreras said. 'A couple of words were exchanged there. Nothing major. I think when the benches clear, it makes everything worse. I don't think it was that bad. He's a competitor. I'm a competitor.'

When Randy Vasquez hit Contreras with a pitch Saturday night, there were no fireworks. When Matthew Liberatore hit Machado the next inning, the umpires issued a retaliation warning.

When Andre Granillo hit Machado in the ninth inning, things boiled over. Machado had to be held back as players poured onto the field. Cardinals assistant coach Jon Jay goaded Machado and earned an ejection.

When Contreras got hit with a pitch in the bottom of the inning, there was no further trouble. But the umpiring crew will be on alert Sunday.

St. Louis will start Michael McGreevy (2-1, 3.49 ERA), who breezed through seven innings in his last start -- a 6-2 victory at Colorado on July 21. He allowed the two runs (one earned) on seven hits.

McGreevy made only spot starts for the Cardinals while spending most of the season at Triple-A Memphis. Then the team designated veteran starter Erick Fedde for assignment on July 23 and gave his spot to McGreevy.

'It gives us a real shot,' Marmol said. 'It's an upgrade. And the timing of it is good. Being able to come here and win Game 1 because he gives you seven is a big deal. Being able to insert that every fifth day - and let the other guys step up and do their job - is exciting.'

This will be McGreevy's first career appearance against the Padres. San Diego will start Stephen Kolek (3-5, 4.28 ERA), who pitched two scoreless innings of relief in his only previous outing against the Cardinals, a 6-2 St. Louis win on April 1, 2024.

After allowing six runs on nine hits, including two homers, in 5 1/3 innings of a 7-4 loss against the Texas Rangers on July 5, Kolek was better against the Miami Marlins in his last start, on July 22. He allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking one in a 4-3 Marlins victory.

Outfielder Gavin Sheets should return to the San Diego lineup after resting Saturday with the left-hander Liberatore starting.

'Gavin has played a lot,' Padres manager Mike Shildt said. 'The guys are posting and going. Just a chance to get him off his feet to start the game.'

--Field Level Media