St. Louis @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 20, 2016 ) St. Louis 3, Chi. Cubs 2
If the St. Louis Cardinals are going to catch the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central race, they’ll probably have to do it by dominating the head-to-head matchup. The Cardinals will try for a second straight win over the Cubs – and their seventh consecutive road victory – when the rivals square off Tuesday in the middle contest of their three-game series.
St. Louis snapped a season-high five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win Monday, halting the Cubs’ streaks of three straight overall wins and five in a row against division rivals. It was a rare home defeat for the Cubs, who are 25-9 at Wrigley Field and still lead the second-place Cardinals by 11 1/2 games. The friendly confines also have been kind to Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright, who is 9-1 with a 3.33 ERA in his career at Wrigley Field going into Tuesday’s start. Right-hander Jason Hammel takes the mound for the Cubs looking for his third win against the Cardinals this season, as he allowed two runs over 13 1/3 innings in the first two meetings – both in St. Louis.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), ABC 7 (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (5-4, 4.78 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jason Hammel (7-2, 2.26)
Wainwright struggled to start the season but has posted a 2.50 ERA over his last six starts. The 34-year-old put together his strongest outing of the year Wednesday against Houston, striking out six and allowing four hits over seven scoreless innings in a no-decision. Wainwright is 12-7 with a 3.97 ERA in 38 games (29 starts) versus the Cubs, and he allowed three runs over six innings in a no-decision against them on May 23 in St. Louis.
Hammel continued his outstanding first half with a strong outing at Washington on Wednesday, limiting the Nationals to one run and five hits over seven innings in a no-decision. The 33-year-old has been especially tough at home, going 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA in five starts at Wrigley Field. Hammel is 4-3 with a 4.60 ERA in nine starts against St. Louis.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis 2B Matt Carpenter, who went 0-for-3 on Monday to snap his 12-game hitting streak, is 2-for-17 with eight strikeouts versus Hammel.
2. The Cubs placed CF Dexter Fowler (hamstring) on the disabled list Monday and recalled RHP Carl Edwards Jr.
3. Cardinals 1B/OF Brandon Moss hit his team-leading 16th home run Monday – his fifth blast in his last 10 games.
PREDICTION: Cubs 4, Cardinals 3