The St. Louis Cardinals host the Colorado Rockies at Busch Stadium on Saturday, August 8, with first pitch set for 7:15 PM ET. Matthew Liberatore takes the hill for St. Louis against Colorado left-hander Kyle Freeland in what shapes up as a lefty-on-lefty pitching matchup in the heart of the summer schedule. Both clubs will be looking to build momentum, and with the Cardinals playing in front of their home crowd, there's real energy on the South Side of downtown St. Louis tonight. Every game at this stage of the season carries weight in the standings, and this one is no exception.

Cardinals vs. Rockies Starting Pitchers: Liberatore and Freeland Square Off

Matthew Liberatore gets the baseball for St. Louis. The young left-hander has been one of the more closely watched arms in the Cardinals rotation, and Saturday night is another chance to prove he belongs at the front of this staff. Liberatore has the stuff to miss bats — it's about commanding the zone consistently over a full outing.

For Colorado, Kyle Freeland draws the assignment. The veteran lefty is a known commodity who relies on soft contact, ground balls, and pitch sequencing rather than blowing hitters away. At Busch Stadium, away from the thin air of Coors Field, Freeland's approach can play even more effectively. The Cardinals lineup will need to be disciplined and patient against him — going out of the zone early in counts is exactly what Freeland wants.

Cardinals Lineup: Keys to Watch Offensively

Manager Oliver Marmol has constructed a lineup with plenty of youth and upside. Here's how St. Louis lines up tonight:

• JJ Wetherholt, 2B — Leading off and setting the table
• Jordan Walker, RF — One of the most exciting young outfielders in the organization batting second
• Iván Herrera, C — The catcher continues to develop as a middle-of-the-order presence hitting third
• Alec Burleson, 1B — The cleanup spot, where Burleson's bat needs to do damage against a lefty
• José Fermín, DH — Brings contact skills and versatility in the five hole
• Masyn Winn, SS — The shortstop slots sixth and is always a threat to make something happen
• Blaze Jordan, 3B — The young third baseman gets a shot to produce batting seventh
• Nathan Church, CF — Center field is covered by Church in the eight spot
• Everson Pereira, LF — Rounds out the order in the nine hole

The big matchup to watch is Alec Burleson against Freeland. Freeland lives on weak contact and can neutralize left-handed hitters who get impatient. Burleson will need to work counts and look for a pitch he can drive. Masyn Winn and Jordan Walker also represent genuine threats to do damage if they get on base in front of the middle of the order.

Colorado Rockies Lineup: Threats to Know

Colorado counters with a lineup anchored by Hunter Goodman at catcher batting cleanup and Ezequiel Tovar at shortstop hitting ninth. Cole Carrigg in center field bats third and has the kind of athleticism that can create problems for any defense. Willi Castro at second base and Jordan Beck in right field round out a group that Liberatore will need to navigate carefully.

Prediction: Cardinals Win at Home

The edge here goes to St. Louis. Liberatore has the opportunity to control this game pitching at Busch Stadium, away from a Colorado offense that tends to be inflated by Coors Field. If Liberatore keeps the ball down and commands his secondary pitches, the Cardinals lineup — even facing a savvy lefty in Freeland — has enough bats to manufacture enough runs to win. Cardinals 4, Rockies 2.

Catch the game on Cardinals.TV Presented by bet365 or listen on KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM. First pitch is at 7:15 PM ET.