Chicago @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 12, 2014 ) Chi. Cubs 17, St. Louis 5
Playing the St. Louis Cardinals seems to bring out the best in this year's Chicago Cubs. Chicago snapped out of an offensive funk to smack a season-high 20 hits in a 17-5 win in the opener of a four-game set at St. Louis, and it will try to continue the momentum when the series continues Tuesday. The Cubs are 4-3 against the Cardinals this season — the only team against whom they have a winning record.
Chicago's offensive outburst came out of nowhere, as the Cubs were limited to four runs in a three-game sweep at Atlanta over the weekend and had lost seven of eight before Monday's romp. The 17 runs were the Cubs' most since Aug. 14, 2009, and their most in St. Louis since Sept. 21, 1974. The Cardinals had to be envious of the Cubs' timely hits — they're hitting just .237 with runners in scoring position.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, WCIU (Chicago), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (0-0, 2.89 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (6-2, 2.02)
Arrieta has been inconsistent in his first two starts of the season, tossing 5 1/3 scoreless frames in his debut May 3 against the Cardinals before lasting only four innings last time out. He gave up four runs (three earned) and nine hits in those four frames in Thursday's 12-5 win over the White Sox and was unable to pick up the win despite a wealth of offensive support. Arrieta has yet to allow a run in 12 1/3 innings over two starts against St. Louis — he pitched seven innings of two-hit ball against the Cardinals last season.
Wainwright endured his worst outing of the season May 2 against the Cubs, giving up six runs on 10 hits in five innings, but he bounced back with an impressive performance Wednesday at Atlanta. The 32-year-old held the Braves to one run on six hits over eight frames to become the National League's first six-game winner. Wainwright has allowed 10 runs in 12 innings over two starts against the Cubs this year but only three runs in 46 innings over six starts against everyone else.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis averages 3.92 runners left in scoring position per game, the second-most in the National League and fifth-most in the majors.
2. Cubs 3B Mike Olt has homered in four of his past six games and leads the team and all NL rookies with eight home runs.
3. Cardinals RF Allen Craig had an RBI groundout in the fifth and has recorded five RBIs in his past four games after tallying only nine in his first 33 contests.
PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Cubs 3