Chicago @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2014 ) Chi. Cubs 2, St. Louis 13

The St. Louis Cardinals attempt to gain a split of their four-game series when they host the Chicago Cubs in the finale on Sunday. St. Louis dropped a 7-2 decision on Friday and suffered a 5-1 loss in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader before erupting for 13 runs in the nightcap, staging an eighth-inning rally during which it scored seven of its nine runs before an out was recorded. Matt Holliday homered twice and drove in five runs, Yadier Molina collected three hits and an RBI and Marco Gonzales worked six strong innings en route to his first major-league victory.

The convincing triumph halted the Cardinals' four-game losing streak and pulled within one game of first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central. St. Louis also maintained its one-game lead over Pittsburgh for the second NL wild-card spot while Chicago failed to move closer to escaping the NL Central basement, remaining four games behind fourth-place Cincinnati. Jorge Soler provided the only extra-base hit for the Cubs in Saturday's second contest, a run-scoring double in the first inning that gave him at least one RBI in each of his first four major-league games and seven overall.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Travis Wood (8-11, 4.72 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (13-8, 3.77)

Wood registered his first victory since June 15 on Tuesday, limiting the Reds to two hits and a walk over six scoreless innings in Cincinnati. The 27-year-old went 0-6 over his previous 12 starts despite allowing three earned runs or fewer eight times in that span. Wood remained at 5-5 in 14 career starts against St. Louis on July 25 as he escaped with a no-decision after yielding five runs - two earned - and seven hits in five frames.

Lackey produced another strong effort Monday at Pittsburgh, allowing one run and seven hits over seven innings to improve to 2-1 since being acquired from Boston. The 35-year-old has worked seven innings in three of his five starts for the Cardinals and given up fewer than three earned runs in all but one. Lackey won his only career start against Chicago on June 11, 2004, when he yielded two runs and seven hits over seven frames while pitching for the Angels.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo (back) has missed four straight games and is expected to sit out Sunday as well.

2. Every starter in the Cardinals' Game 2 lineup - including Gonzales - had at least one hit, with the exeception of 3B Matt Carpenter, who went 0-for-1 but walked and scored three times while also driving in a run.

3. St. Louis RHP Michael Wacha (shoulder), who has not pitched since June 17, will make a rehab start with Double-A Springfield on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Cubs 2