St. Louis @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2016 ) St. Louis 10, Chi. Cubs 4
The season series lies in the balance when the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their three-game set Sunday night at Wrigley Field. The stakes are much higher for the Cardinals, though, as they try to keep pace in the three-team race for the two National League wild-card berths.
St. Louis trails both the New York Mets and San Francisco by one-half game for a wild-card spot after a 10-4 victory over the Cubs on Saturday, evening the season series at 9-9 prior to Sunday’s final clash of the regular season. The Cubs already have clinched the top seed in the playoffs and home-field advantage through the NL Championship Series, but they wouldn’t mind helping ensure their arch-rivals are sitting at home in October. The Cardinals pounded 14 hits Saturday, winning for the fifth time in seven contests, and finish the season with seven home games – including four against last-place Cincinnati. Both starting pitchers will be excited to take the mound at Wrigley Field, as Cubs left-hander Jon Lester is 9-2 with a 1.86 ERA in 14 home starts while Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez has been excellent on the road, going 9-1 with a 2.42 ERA in 14 starts away from St. Louis.
TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (15-8, 3.16 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (18-4, 2.36)
Martinez lasted just five innings last time out at Colorado but got the win, allowing two runs and five hits while striking out six. The 25-year-old has won five of his last six decisions, but the lone loss during that stretch was against the Cubs on Sept. 14. Martinez is 3-2 with a 4.85 ERA in 18 games (eight starts) against Chicago, including a 1-2 mark and 5.25 ERA in four meetings this year.
Lester hasn’t lost since July 3, and he has posted quality starts in 11 of his 12 outings since the All-Star break. The 32-year-old is 9-0 with a 1.46 ERA over that stretch after holding Cincinnati to one run over seven innings in a victory last time out. Lester is 2-3 with a 2.22 ERA in eight lifetime starts against the Cardinals, including a 1-0 record and 1.29 ERA in two meetings in 2016.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis C Yadier Molina is 15-for-35 during a 10-game hitting streak and is 6-for-19 versus Lester.
2. Cubs 3B/LF Kris Bryant has scored 14 runs in 18 games against the Cardinals, more than any other opposing player this season.
3. Cardinals OF Randal Grichuk has 13 RBIs against the Cubs this season, second-most of any opponent behind Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun (15).
PREDICTION: Cardinals 3, Cubs 2