Few teams have been as perplexing as the Cincinnati Reds, who begin a three-game series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

St. Louis is starting a six-game road trip after losing two of three to the Pittsburgh Pirates, including a 6-2 defeat on Thursday. The Cardinals have gone 15-8 away from Busch Stadium this season.

Cincinnati ended the month of April atop the National League Central standings with a 20-11 record before losing 13 of its next 17 games.

The Reds showed signs of returning to their early-season form this week by taking two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies, including a 9-4 victory in the finale on Wednesday. Cincinnati had a total of 22 hits in the last two games of the series to slow down the streaking Phillies.

"We know we're a good team," Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott said. "We saw what we did the first month or so of the season. There's no reason we can't go do it again. I know we've been scuffling, but that's not an excuse to not show up and not be ready to play."

Rookie infielder Sal Stewart emerged from a brief slump by collecting seven hits, five runs and two homers in the series. He went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer while scoring three times in the Wednesday win.

"The really good hitters I've been around, when they're 0-for, they know they're going to hit," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "Sal knows he's a good hitter. He has been a good hitter since everywhere."

The Thursday pitching matchup features a pair of right-handers as Cincinnati's Chris Paddack (0-5, 7.07 ERA) faces St. Louis' Kyle Leahy (5-3, 3.94).

Paddack, 30, made a successful Reds debut on Saturday, allowing two runs over five innings in no-decision against the Cleveland Guardians.

Cincinnati signed Paddack after he was released by the Miami Marlins earlier this month. He threw 56 of his 78 pitches against Cleveland for strikes.

Paddack is 1-1 with a 3.44 ERA in four career starts against St. Louis. He gave up five runs over 4 2/3 innings in a 5-3 loss to the Cardinals while pitching for Miami on April 21.

St. Louis will counter with Leahy, 28, who allowed one run over a career-high six innings in a 4-2 home win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

"He had a really good feeling for all his pitches," Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. "I thought he did a phenomenal job. For him to be as efficient as he was and fill up the zone and do what he did was incredibly important."

Spencer Steer is 1-for-6 against Leahy, who has a 6.30 ERA in eight career appearances (all in relief) covering 10 innings vs. Cincinnati.

The Cardinals are looking to snap a two-game skid after being outscored 13-2 in back-to-back losses to Pittsburgh. One bright spot has been the play of catcher Ivan Herrera, who has homered in two of his last three games, including a walk-off shot in the 10th inning on Tuesday.

"He's seeing it well," Marmol said. "He's staying within himself and not trying to do too much, and that's when he's at his best."