Cardinals vs Braves live stream: Watch online free 8:15 ET Friday for the start of a three-game series in St. Louis.

The Atlanta Braves (22-17) are holding onto first place in the National League East going into St. Louis vs the Cardinals (21-20) for a three-game set. Watch the free live stream online as the Cards look for their third straight win and the Braves try to bounce back from a 10-4 loss last night.

Watch the free live stream online of the Cardinals vs Braves below:

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Manager Fredi Gonzalez elected to bat the pitcher in the eighth spot for eight straight games beginning with the series opener against the Cardinals, but he decided against doing so Wednesday, according to ESPN.com.

"I thought our offense did a nice job getting us back in it," Gonzalez said. "The game just got a little out of hand there in the middle innings."

The Braves averaged four runs per game since Sunday after plating only 1.9 runs per game in the previous 11 contests.

"I don't think we've clicked on all cylinders yet," Ryan Doumit said Saturday, the night before the Braves' offense picked up. "From an offensive standpoint, defensive standpoint and pitching standpoint, we haven't all clicked together yet. I think we're starting to show that we can. Once we do, it's really going to be scary."

Lance Lynn will need to avoid big innings. A four-run fourth against Pittsburgh doomed him on a night Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said the hurler had "the kind of stuff that should have taken him through a complete game without any runs, according to MLB.com.

"That's a tough inning," Lynn said following the game. "You give up four runs with only one ball leaving the infield in the air. I thought I made some good pitches to get out of the inning, and it just didn't work out. That happens. There are going to be some games where I throw the ball right down the middle three straight times and I get three straight outs. Tonight it just didn't happen when I made my pitch."