Chicago @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2013 ) Chi. Cubs 2, St. Louis 5
The early MVP campaign for St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is starting to heat up and the Chicago Cubs probably wouldn't put up an argument. Molina and the Cardinals will look to continue their dominance over the Cubs when the National League Central rivals resume their four-game series Tuesday at Busch Stadium.
Molina drove in two runs and scored another to lead the Cardinals to a 5-2 victory in Monday's series opener as Molina went 2-for-4 to raise his NL-best batting average to .355. Molina is 6-for-12 against the Cubs this season and is 7-for-15 with a double against Tuesday starter Jeff Samardzija. The Cubs have dropped two straight following a three-game winning streak and are 16 games behind division-leading St. Louis.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jeff Samardzija (3-7, 3.46 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (10-3, 2.18)
Samardzija continues to pile up the strikeouts but is winless in his last three starts. He was tagged for five runs on 10 hits over six innings last time out against Cincinnati, but the Cubs rallied late to get him off the hook. Samardzija is 3-2 with a 4.95 ERA in 16 games (five starts) against St. Louis and is facing the Cardinals for the first time this season.
Wainwright is making a strong bid to start the All-Star Game, having won five straight starts and recorded quality starts in 13 of his 14 outings. He was excellent his last time out, allowing four hits over seven scoreless innings to beat the Mets. Wainwright has faced mixed results against the Cubs, going 6-5 with a 4.46 ERA in 27 games (18 starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Samardzija has not allowed a home run to any player on the Cardinals' active roster in 103 plate appearances.
2. Cubs RF Nate Schierholtz, who is riding a career-best nine-game hitting streak, is 1-for-8 with three strikeouts against Wainwright.
3. Cardinals LHP Kevin Siegrist, one of 10 rookie pitchers St. Louis has used this season, has not allowed a run in 6 2/3 innings over his first six career appearances. He pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings Monday.
PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Cubs 1