ST. LOUIS -- On one hand, sweeping the San Diego Padres at home doesnt sound like a big deal when youre the St. Louis Cardinals, who have been to the National League playoffs five straight years and 12 of the last 16.On the other hand, when you entered the four-game series with a rotten 20-28 home record and hadnt won four straight home games all year, sweeping San Diego is a big deal.We havent played well at home, St. Louis starting pitcher Adam Wainwright said. Were ready for a big (winning) streak here. Were ready to run off about a 12-spot.The Cardinals can add to this success and make up ground on two fronts in the playoff chase Friday night when they welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers to Busch Stadium for a three-game weekend series.Thursday nights 6-5 win over the Padres, which led 5-1 after 7 1/2 innings, boosted St. Louis to 51-44 for the year, tying its high water mark of seven games over .500. It also kept it within a game of Miami for the NLs second wild-card spot.Whats more, the Cardinals also pulled within 6 1/2 games of the idle Chicago Cubs for first place in the NL Central, the closest theyve been since beating them 4-3 on May 23 to move within six games of first.So in a season largely bereft of team accomplishments, forgive St. Louis for feeling good about itself for a moment or two.Who said I was joking? kidded Wainwright when asked about joking about a 12-spot. You never know whats going to be your catapult. I just know that we havent had a good long winning streak in a while, and its time for it.Los Angeles (54-43) owns the NLs first wild-card spot by a game over Miami and comes to town fresh off winning two of three at NL East leader Washington, besting previously unbeaten Stephen Strasburg 6-3 Thursday.The Dodgers will have a hot pitcher taking the mound on a hot night, as temperatures might be close to 100 degrees at first pitch. Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 1.69) is coming off six shutout innings Saturday at Arizona, allowing just three hits and fanning eight as he was no-decisioned in a 2-1, 12-inning loss.Hell be opposed by Michael Wacha (5-7, 4.55), who lasted just four-plus innings and 101 pitches Sunday in a no-decision outing against Miami. Wacha, who had his pitch count jacked up by 25 foul balls, gave up seven hits and three runs, walking two and fanning four.Wacha is 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA in three career starts against Los Angeles, absorbing an 8-4 loss on May 13. Hell have to be careful against Justin Turner, who homered twice and drove in five runs against Strasburg Thursday, giving him six homers and 16 RBI in 16 games this month.Im definitely feeling comfortable again, Turner said. I feel good and am obviously getting better results.The Cardinals will send Mike Leake (7-7, 4.00) to the mound Saturday night opposite Kenta Maeda (8-7, 3.25). 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BOSTON -- Given how the Boston Red Sox bullpen has labored for the past month, getting injured setup man Koji Uehara back by Labor Day would be a welcome development.It just might happen, too.Uehara threw an encouraging 25-pitch session of live batting practice Monday at Fenway Park, his most rigorous workout yet since he went on the disabled list July 19 with a strained right pectoral muscle.According to Red Sox manager John Farrell, Uehara is scheduled for a bullpen session Wednesday in Boston and will throw to hitters again Saturday, one day later than he otherwise would have because the field at Oakland Coliseum wont be available after a Raiders preseason game Thursday night.If all goes well, Uehara could be reinstated to the roster as soon as next Monday for the opener of a three-game interleague series in San Diego.The Red Sox can use Uehara, too. Since he was sidelined, they have lacked a primary eighth-inning setup man. Although submarining right-hander Brad Ziegler hasnt pitched poorly, Farrell prefers not to use him against left-handed hitters. Junichi Tazawa and Matt Barnes have struggled, and lefty Fernando Abad has been a disappointment since being acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline.So, although Uehara is 41 years old and has allowed eight home runs in his past 20? innings, he figures to help stabilize a group of relievers that has been searchingg for more definition to their roles.dddddddddddd healthy Koji certainly adds to our bullpen. And I know that he senses that, Farrell said. But I cant say that hes short-cutting any work or rehab for the sake of just getting back.Regardless of the struggles of the Red Soxs bullpen, Uehara made clear Monday night that he doesnt intend to come back before hes ready.It makes no sense to rush at this point in time, so Ill try to be ready when Im ready, Uehara said through a translator. I think the biggest hurdle is getting over the hurdle mentally. I think Im pretty good where I am physically.Indeed, when Uehara got injured, the Red Sox werent sure he would pitch again this season. Pectoral injuries are less common in pitchers than shoulder issues. Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski recently noted that Detroit Tigers right-hander Anibal Sanchez missed the final month and a half of last season with a pectoral strain.Its been impressive to see how [Uehara] has handled the volume with three times on the mound and the intensity to his bullpens and the BP, Farrell said. To his credit, hes worked his tail off. Hes gone about this fairly rapidly.Uehara has appeared in 39 games this season and has a 4.50 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 36 innings. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '