St. Louis @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 11, 2016 ) St. Louis 3, Chi. Cubs 4
The Chicago Cubs are riding their longest winning streak since 2001, but their eyes are on a prize for which they’ve waited much, much longer. The Cubs take their 10-game winning streak and burgeoning World Series hopes into the second contest of their four-game series with the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
The Cubs had to work overtime to extend the streak Thursday, claiming the series opener 4-3 on Anthony Rizzo’s bases-loaded walk in the 11th inning. The victory improved Chicago’s major league-best overall (72-41) and home (40-17) records and extended its National League Central lead over the Cardinals to 13 games. It was a tough ending to a rough night for the Cardinals, who also saw left fielder Matt Holliday leave the game in the 10th after being hit in the right hand by a pitch and used closer Seung Hwan Oh for two innings, likely making him unavailable for at least one game. St. Louis has dropped eight of its last 12 since climbing within 6 1/2 games of the Cubs.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), ABC 7 (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (9-6, 4.34 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (13-5, 2.59)
Wainwright regained his ace form in July, going 3-0 with a 1.77 ERA in five starts – all Cardinals wins – but he’s off to a rocky start to August. The 34-year-old suffered his first loss since June 27 when Atlanta tagged him for six runs and nine hits over six innings on Sunday. Wainwright has recorded two quality starts against the Cubs this season, improving to 13-7 lifetime against them with a 3.97 ERA in 39 games (30 starts).
The Cubs had lost five straight starts by Arrieta before he pitched a gem to win at Oakland on Saturday, allowing three hits and one walk over eight scoreless innings. The 30-year-old was winless in July, but he has recorded quality starts in three of his last four outings and posted a 2.25 ERA over that stretch. Arrieta is 5-2 with a 2.07 ERA in 11 starts against the Cardinals, including a 1-1 mark this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago RHP Pedro Strop was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee and is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery Friday.
2. Cardinals 3B Matt Carpenter (0-for-18), Holliday (1-for-18) and C Yadier Molina (3-for-19) have a combined .073 batting average with 18 strikeouts versus Arrieta.
3. Rizzo is 9-for-28 during his seven-game hitting streak and 11-for-35 all-time against Wainwright.
PREDICTION: Cubs 3, Cardinals 2