ATLANTA - A four-hit, four-RBI night in Thursday's 11-4 win over the Atlanta Braves has earned center fielder Colby Rasmus a start tonight against lefthander Mike Minor, who is making his sixth major-league start and first career appearance against the Cardinals.

Right fielder Jon Jay is the only other lefthanded hitter in the lineup. Minor (3-0, 5.22), a pitch-maker more than a smoke-thrower, has struck out 31 in 27 innings but has also absorbed 33 hits. Minor is only a year removed from being drafted out of Vanderbilt University. He made only four starts last season with Class A Rome.

Minor took heavy damage in his last start, surrendering six earned runs and nine hits against the Florida Marlins on Sunday.

The Cardinals send Chris Carpenter (15-5, 2.90) against a slumping Braves team that has dropped six of its last eight to fall from the NL East lead. Carpenter is 6-2 with a 2.28 ERA in his last 11 starts but does not count the Braves among his favorite foils. The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner carries a 5.83 career ERA against Los Bravos.

Tyler Greene receives tonight's start at second base over Skip Schumaker, who contributed three hits, two RBI, and the game-winning home run Thursday. This marks Greene's third start in four games.

The Rest:

Cardinals

2B Tyler Greene

RF Jon Jay

1B Albert Pujols

LF Matt Holliday

CF Colby Rasmus

C Yadier Molina

3B Pedro Feliz

P Chris Carpenter

SS Brendan Ryan

Braves

2B Omar Infante

RF Jason Heyward

3B Martin Prado

C Brian McCann

1B Derrek Lee

CF Nate McLouth

SS Alex Gonzalez

LF Melky Cabrera

P Mike Minor