Worth noting

• Manager Mike Matheny admitted he is "kind of stuck" growing out facial hair until the Cardinals' current winning streak -- which sat at four games entering Wednesday -- comes to an end. Why the correlation? Matheny said someone noticed he hadn't shaved on Saturday, when the offense broke out in a 10-4 win over the Cubs. He has resisted picking up a razor since.

"I'm not a superstitious guy, but I'm not going to get in the way of the guys that are," Matheny said. "I honor the fact that this stuff is in our game. And my wife is not on the road, so I can get away with it."

• Right-hander Zack Petrick, the organization's 2013 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, improved to 2-0 with Double-A Springfield after a terrific start on Tuesday. Petrick allowed one run on five hits and a walk in eight innings. He struck out four.

• Marco Gonzales, the team's first pick in last summer's First-Year Player Draft, made his second start for High-A Palm Beach on Tuesday, allowing five runs (three earned) on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings. Gonzales struck out five and walked three.

• Tim Cooney moved to 3-0 by helping lead Triple-A Memphis to an 8-4 win over Nashville on Tuesday. Cooney gave up three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He was supported by outfielder Joey Butler, who pushed his season average to .500 with his fourth three-hit game in his past six starts. First baseman Xavier Scruggs had two hits drove in three runs.

• The Cardinals are scheduled to face the following pitchers, in order, during their upcoming series against the Nationals: Taylor Jordan (0-1, 4.76 ERA), Gio Gonzalez (2-1, 3.50 ERA), Jordan Zimmermann (1-0, 5.27 ERA) and Stephen Strasburg (1-2, 6.00 ERA)