Chicago @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2010 ) Chi. Cubs 7, St. Louis 2
The St. Louis Cardinals send Chris Carpenter to the hill Wednesday hoping he can keep them from suffering their first series sweep in St. Louis at the hands of the Chicago Cubs in more than 20 years.
Chicago (64-81) took the second game of the series Tuesday night by cracking out 15 hits in a 7-2 victory. Xavier Nady had three of those hits and also drove in three runs for the Cubs.
St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright dropped his fifth decision over his last six starts.
Carpenter (15-6, 3.09 ERA) has had some problems on the hill as well. He gave up six earned runs on eight hits over five innings in an 8-6 loss at Atlanta in his last start. Carpenter struck out four, but got the hook after just 79 pitches.
The Cardinals (74-69) have lost three of Carpenter’s last four outings, though he has had success over his career against the Cubs, going 10-4 lifetime with a 2.87 ERA.
It looks as though St. Louis should have slugger Albert Pujols back in the lineup today after he sat out Tuesday’s game with tendinitis in his left elbow. Pujols, who has missed just two games this season, had a cortisone shot in the elbow following Monday’s game and is expected to be back in the lineup for today’s finale.
The Cards’ first baseman leads the NL with 39 homers and is hitting .324 with six home runs and 10 RBIs in 10 games against Chicago this year. Pujols is also hitting .417 against Carlos Zambrano, Chicago’s scheduled starter.
Zambrano (8-6, 3.88 ERA) is in top form after suffering through some major issues this summer. He spent some time in the bullpen after struggling on the mound and also stepped away from the team for a while to attend anger-management counseling.
Since then, he has been throwing like the Big Z the Cubs thought they were getting when they locked him up with a long-term $91 million deal, going 5-0 with a 1.60 ERA.
He has won four straight starts, allowing only three earned runs while striking out 32 batters over that span. Zambrano is 6-1 with a 1.27 ERA over 11 career starts at St. Louis.
Zambrano and Carpenter squared off last month, with the Chicago starter pitching the Cubs to a 3-2 win. Carpenter allowed three runs on six hits over six innings.
The last time the Cubs swept the Cards in St. Louis was back in June 1988.