Chicago @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 13, 2016 ) Chi. Cubs 2, St. Louis 4
The St. Louis Cardinals have ensured they won’t watch their arch-rivals celebrate clinching a division title on their own field, but they’re more concerned about keeping pace in the National League wild-card race. The Cardinals look to delay the inevitable for another day and maintain their spot in the tight race for the final playoff spot when they wrap up a three-game series against the visiting Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.
The rivals have split the first two games of the series, with St. Louis’ 4-2 victory Tuesday guaranteeing the Cubs can’t clinch the NL Central crown before they leave town, though their 16-game lead and magic number of three mean it’s only a matter of time. The Cardinals are more focused on the New York Mets, whom they continue to trail by a half-game for the second wild-card spot after both teams won Tuesday. Keeping pace Wednesday will require solving Cubs left-hander Jon Lester, who hasn’t lost since July 3, winning his last seven decisions as the Cubs have gone 9-1 in his starts since the All-Star break. The Cardinals lead the season series 8-7, though the Cubs have won five of eight meetings at Busch Stadium.
TV: 1:45 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ABC 7 (Chicago), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (16-4, 2.51 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (14-7, 3.05)
Lester has posted eight straight quality starts, going 6-0 with a 1.17 ERA and holding opponents to a .191 batting average over that stretch. The 32-year-old continued his dominance Friday at Houston, striking out seven over seven scoreless innings without a walk. Lester is 1-3 with a 2.62 ERA in seven starts against the Cardinals and took a no-decision in the only previous meeting this season.
Martinez is 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA over his last five outings and has recorded six straight quality starts, beginning with his no-decision against the Cubs on Aug. 11. The 24-year-old beat Milwaukee on Friday, allowing three runs (two earned) over seven innings despite a season-low one strikeout. Martinez is 3-1 with a 4.71 ERA in 17 games (seven starts) against the Cubs and is 1-1 with a 5.00 ERA in three meetings this year.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis SS Aledmys Diaz (thumb) made his first start since July 31 on Tuesday and blasted his 15th home run.
2. Cubs CF Dexter Fowler, who hit his seventh leadoff home run of the season and the 21st of his career Tuesday, has homered in consecutive games for the first time since 2013.
3. Cardinals 1B/OF Brandon Moss hit a tie-breaking two-run homer Tuesday and has gone deep in his last three games against the Cubs and five of his last eight.
PREDICTION: Cubs 4, Cardinals 3