St. Louis @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 13, 2016 ) St. Louis 8, Chi. Cubs 4

The Chicago Cubs finally have their first loss in August, but they can wrap up another series victory – and pad their National League Central lead – with a win over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. The Cardinals snapped Chicago’s 11-game winning streak with an 8-4 win Saturday after the Cubs claimed the first two of the four-game set.

The Cardinals were able to break through for their first win in the series – and trim the Cubs’ NL Central lead to 13 games – with a six-run eighth-inning outburst against Chicago’s bullpen. Cubs starting pitchers are 8-0 with a 1.38 ERA in August, a trend right-hander John Lackey hopes to continue when he faces his former team. Lackey is 6-4 with a 2.67 ERA at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs own the majors’ best home mark at 41-18. The Cardinals are a major league-best 33-23 on the road, including a 4-2 mark at Wrigley Field.

TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, ESPN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Mike Leake (8-9, 4.79 ERA) vs. Cubs RH John Lackey (9-7, 3.56)

Leake has posted a whopping 7.39 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break and had surrendered at least six runs in three straight outings before breaking that streak last time out. The 28-year-old recorded a quality start Tuesday against Cincinnati, allowing three runs over six innings in a no-decision. Leake is 9-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 20 starts against the Cubs, but he’s 3-2 with a 4.20 ERA in 10 outings at Wrigley Field.

Lackey has recorded four straight quality starts, and the Cubs have won the last three. The 37-year-old shut down another one of his former teams last time out, holding the Los Angeles Angels to one run and three hits over eight innings Tuesday night. Lackey is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in three starts against the Cardinals, all of which have come this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs SS Addison Russell has 15 RBIs in his last 15 games, and 52 of his 71 RBIs have come at home.

2. Cardinals 2B Jedd Gyorko’s home run Saturday was his 10th since July 18 – most in the majors.

3. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo, who has reached base in 19 consecutive starts, is 10-for-32 with two home runs versus Leake.

PREDICTION: Cubs 6, Cardinals 4