St. Louis @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2019 ) St. Louis 5, Chi. Cubs 4

Just when it appeared that the gremlins of Wrigley Field were about to swallow up the St. Louis Cardinals again, a dramatic home run kept them in control of the National League Central. After overcoming a ninth-inning collapse for their first win at Wrigley this season, the Cardinals resume their four-game series against the Chicago Cubs on Friday afternoon.

Matt Carpenter is laboring through the worst season of his career, but he halted a 20-game home-run drought with a solo blast in the 10th inning to keep St. Louis three games ahead of Milwaukee and four in front of Chicago in the division with nine to play. The light-hitting Harrison Bader collected two hits and two RBIs as the Cardinals reduced their magic numbers to six for reaching the playoffs and seven for clinching the NL Central title. Anthony Rizzo, who was expected to miss the series due to a sprained ankle, made a dramatic return with a home run as the Cubs fell one game behind Milwaukee for the second wild card. Chicago, which entered the series 6-0 at home against the Cardinals, saw a three-run, ninth-inning rally go by the boards when Craig Kimbrel served up Carpenter's homer in his first appearance since Sept. 1 after coming off the injured list earlier in the day.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Midwest (St. Louis), ABC 7 (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (6-7, 4.76 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Alec Mills (1-0, 3.42)

Wacha is coming off a solid performance in a no-decision against Milwaukee on Sunday but remained winless in his last 10 appearances despite allowing five hits over five scoreless innings. Despite the lengthy dry spell dating to his last win on July 19, the 28-year-old has permitted two runs or fewer eight times but has worked more than five frames only once. Rizzo is 20-for-45 against Wacha, who is 4-8 with a 6.68 ERA versus Chicago after giving up five runs in five innings on May 4.

With Cole Hamels dealing with shoulder fatigue, the Cubs juggled their rotation by pushing back Jose Quintana to Saturday and giving a start to Mills, who has made back-to-back strong appearances out of the bullpen. The 27-year-old earned the victory versus Cincinnati on Monday, striking out three over two scoreless innings, and recorded a save in his previous outing by registering four strikeouts and allowing one run over three frames. Mills allowed two runs in two relief outings versus St. Louis in 2018.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez suffered his first blown save since Aug. 7 on Thursday.

2. Cubs SS Javier Baez scored the tying run as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning of the series opener - his first game action since fracturing his thumb on Sept. 1.

3. St. Louis 2B Kolten Wong left Thursday's game due to a left hamstring injury.

PREDICTION: Cubs 4, Cardinals 3