St. Louis @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2014 ) St. Louis 3, Chi. Cubs 4

With a pair of last-place clubs comprising their final six games, the St. Louis Cardinals had to like their chances of winning a second straight division title. The Chicago Cubs showed the visiting Cardinals the path will not be easy with a walk-off win Tuesday, cutting St. Louis' lead to 1 1/2 games over Pittsburgh atop the National League Central entering Wednesday's rubber match of the three-game series. The Cardinals will send John Lackey to the mound to face Jake Arrieta.

One positive for St. Louis is the hot bat of left fielder Matt Holliday, who reached 20 homers for the ninth consecutive season with a two-run blast Tuesday - his sixth versus Chicago this season. Holliday has four multiple-hit contests during a six-game hitting streak and is 9-for-16 with four homers and 12 RBIs in his last four games against the Cubs. Chicago catcher Welington Castillo is 4-for-12 with a pair of homers since missing most of two games with a rib contusion.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN (St. Louis), CSN Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH John Lackey (14-9, 3.86 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (9-5, 2.65)

After receiving an extra three days of rest due to a "dead arm," Lackey turned in his best performance since he was acquired at the trade deadline with 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball in a win over Cincinnati. He will be facing the Cubs for the second time in 3 1/2 weeks, giving up five runs (two earned) over 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision on Aug. 31. Lackey has been stung by the long ball with the Cardinals, coughing up nine in his nine starts.

Arrieta is coming off an overpowering performance, striking out a career-high 13 in a complete-game one-hitter to beat Cincinnati. It marked the first time Arrieta has gone the distance in his career and the third time this season he has taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Arrieta, who is 1-0 with a 1.21 ERA in four starts versus St. Louis, has been superb at Wrigley Field with a 5-1 record and 1.60 ERA in 11 starts this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Holliday has 12 multi-hit games and 21 RBIs since Aug. 30.

2. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo is 9-for-25 with six runs scored in seven games since returning from nearly a three-week absence.

3. Cardinals 3B Matt Carpenter has drawn six walks in his last four games to tie injured Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton for the NL lead with 94.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Cubs 3