The Cardinals have found the sledding rough outside their division this far this year. They'll try to turn around that trend -- and one other big one -- on Friday night when they host the Padres at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis has dominated the teams in the National League Central, going 16-4 in divisional games so far and pulling out to a four-game lead. However, in non-division games, the Cardinals have a 2-5 record and have lost both their previous series.

Another trend they'll hope to reverse is Jeff Suppan's home-road split. Though Suppan won his last start at Busch, and took the defeat in his last road start, he has an ERA more than five times higher at home (5.28) than away from home (1.17). That follows a similar pattern from last season, when he was much better in away games.

Friday's game is the second of a four-game series, with afternoon contests scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. After the Padres leave town, another strong team from the West comes to visit, as the Dodgers open a four-game series at Busch on Monday.

Pitching matchup:
SD: LHP Darrell May
• 0-0, 4.26 ERA in 2005
• Did not face STL in 2004

STL: RHP Jeff Suppan
• 2-3, 3.23 ERA in 2005
• 2-0, 3.27 vs. SD in 2004

Player to watch
OK, it's only three at-bats. But it's three very good at-bats. Scott Rolen has singled, doubled and homered against May, and May has never gotten Rolen out. Put another way, if Rolen goes 0-for-7 in his next seven at-bats against the lefty, he'll still be slugging .700 against him.

Quotable
"Like I said before, I would have liked to have a phone call, but they had other things on their mind. And I understand that. But they said some nice things and we had a talk. Everything is great. " -- Former Cardinal and current Padres pitcher Woody Williams, on his relationship with his former team

On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• SD: Channel 4, Cablemas
• STL: FOX Sports Net Midwest

On radio
• SD: XPRS, XEMO (Español)
• STL: KMOX AM-1120

Quick hits
Cardinals starters have pitched at least six innings in nine straight games, and at least seven innings in seven of those nine. ... Albert Pujols has a 16-game hitting streak. He has reached base in every game in 2005 and in his last 36 regular-season contests dating back to 2004. ... David Eckstein has hit in seven straight games. ... Pujols is the only Cardinal to appear in every game this year.

On deck
• Saturday: Cardinals vs. Padres, 1:15 p.m. CT
• Sunday: Cardinals vs. Padres, 1:15 p.m. CT
• Monday: Cardinals vs. Dodgers, 7:10 p.m. CT