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(Sports Network) - The St. Louis Cardinals currently sit atop the NL Central standings and will try to stay there when they close out a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis is tied with the rival Chicago Cubs for first in the division and has won three of four and four of its last six games. After losing the series opener on Monday, the Cardinals rebounded with last night's 7-2 victory in the second installment of this set.

Starting pitcher Joel Pineiro tossed seven scoreless innings and gave up just one hit and four walks for the victory. Troy Glaus knocked in three runs and scored once for St. Louis, which will wrap a nine-game homestand with an upcoming series with the rival Cubs.

Cards outfielder Rick Ankiel batted 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored, and Skip Schumaker finished 4-for-5 in the win.

Braden Looper will try to regain his early-season magic when he toes the rubber this afternoon for the Cardinals.

Looper is 3-1 with a 4.05 ERA in five starts, but is 0-1 over his last two trips to the bump following a personal three-game winning streak to open the 2008 campaign. He gave up seven runs and 10 hits in three innings against San Francisco on April 20, then allowed two hits in seven shutout innings for a no decision versus San Francisco this past Friday.

The right-hander, who is 2-1 in four home starts, owns a 2-1 record with a 3.53 ERA in 32 career games (2 starts) against Cincinnati.

Cincinnati will try to get back in the win column on Wednesday after it had a three-game winning streak come to an end last night. Johnny Cueto dropped his third straight decision in last night's loss, as he was roughed up for seven runs -- six earned -- on eight hits and one walk in just 1 2/3 innings.

Reds slugger Adam Dunn provided the offense with a two-run homer in the ninth inning. Brandon Phillips and Corey Patterson each had a hit for the Reds, who are a game ahead of the basement-dwelling Pirates in the NL Central.

Reds future Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. hasn't homered in six games and sits three shy of 600 for his career. Had Griffey not been hampered by injury the past few years, he would be closing in on the 700 club. He should soon become the sixth player ever to hit 600 homers in a career.

Cincinnati will rest its hopes on ace Aaron Harang on Wednesday. Harang, who is 1-3 with a 2.76 ERA in six starts, is winless in his previous three trips to the bump (0-2).

Harang last pitched Friday at San Francisco, allowing three runs -- two earned -- and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings of a 3-1 loss.

The right-hander has lasted at least six innings in each of his starts, and is 5-6 with a 4.46 earned run average in 14 career appearances against St. Louis.

St. Louis went 9-6 against the Reds last season, going 7-2 at Busch Stadium.