Chicago @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 13, 2010 ) Chi. Cubs 3, St. Louis 6
In previous years, it would have been a marquee matchup in a playoff race. This year, it's just a mismatch when Carlos Zambrano faces Chris Carpenter.
The St. Louis Cardinals will be looking for their fifth straight win when they take on the lowly Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Back in the rotation after his month-long banishment for fighting with teammates and anger issues, Zambrano has apparently learned to control his temper but not his pitches. He issued seven walks in five innings in a no decision at the San Francisco Giants. The walks marred an otherwise solid outing, as the right-hander yielded two runs and four hits.
The fiery Venezuelan is struggling through his worst season on the mound, owning a career-high 5.46 ERA and 1.79 WHIP. His batting average against of .303 is also a career-worst mark.
Zambrano’s season is a microcosm of the Cubs as a team, as they have fallen far below expectations. Chicago owns its worst record since 2006 when it finished in last place in the NL Central.
A veteran group that won the division in 2007 and 2008 and finished second to the Cardinals in 2009, Chicago figured to at least make some noise in the division again this season.
While St. Louis and the Cincinnati Reds have taken over the top of the division, the Cubs have seen huge drops in production from veterans Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and others. These negatives have lessened the strong debuts of Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin in an otherwise lost campaign.
Carpenter, on the other hand, has spent the season demonstrating that when healthy, he is one of the best pitchers in the game. The veteran right-hander is 4-0 in his last six starts - including a big win over Cincinnati in which he allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings.
Carpenter played a key role in the brawl between the Reds and the Cardinals the next night when his peace-keeping mission with former teammate Scott Rolen turned into a shouting match that escalated the situation.
He has done his talking on the mound this season against Chicago, surrendering a total of four runs in 13 2/3 innings while striking out nine and walking two. Carpenter has dominated the Cubs in his career, owning a 10-3 record with a 2.79 ERA in 19 outings.
St. Louis took the series opener, 6-3, on Friday as Albert Pujols went 3-for-5 with three runs scored. He also belted his 29th homer of the season and Jake Westbrook pitched six strong innings to earn his first National League victory.