St. Louis @ Florida preview
Sun Life Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2010 ) St. Louis 7, Florida 0
While the St. Louis Cardinals unleashed their Cy Young candidate in the series opener on Friday, the Florida Marlins will counter with their own one day later.
Josh Johnson will take the mound on Saturday as the Marlins attempt to snap a five-game slide against the Cardinals.
Leading the majors with a 1.96 ERA and enjoying a 10-4 record with a 1.03 WHIP and 151 strikeouts, Johnson spent most of the middle part of the season as the most dominating pitcher in baseball. The right-hander ran off a string of eight consecutive starts allowing one run or less and 13 straight yielding two or less from May 13 through July 22.
But Johnson’s form has fallen off slightly of late, as the 26-year-old is coming off his worst start of the season last Sunday at the San Diego Padres. Johnson surrendered a season-high five runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings to suffer the loss.
His command was the culprit, with Johnson matching a season-high by issuing four walks. It was the most free passes he had allowed since his season opener on April 5. That outing also marked the only other time this season that Johnson allowed more than three runs.
The Minnesota native has been more comfortable in the humid air of southern Florida this season, posting a 7-2 record with a 1.41 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 89 1/3 innings at home.
Johnson might have some catching up to do in the NL Cy Young race after Adam Wainwright put on a show in the series opener on Friday night. The St. Louis ace allowed two hits in a complete game shutout, striking out seven to push his record to 16-6 and lower his ERA to 2.07. Wainwright is in the midst of a streak similar to Johnson’s mid-season surge, having allowed one run or less in seven of his last eight outings.
Wainwright got some help on Friday from reigning National League Most Valuable Player Albert Pujols, who smashed a three-run homer and finished the night with four RBIs in the 7-0 triumph.
Johnson has faced the Cardinals three time in his career, going 1-1 with a 3.20 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings. He has allowed three hits - one homer - to Pujols in nine at-bats.
St. Louis will counter with a pitcher it hopes will help in its quest for a postseason berth in Jake Westbrook. The veteran sinkerballer was acquired from the Cleveland Indians in a three-team deal at the July 31 trading deadline for a hefty price, with slugging outfielder Ryan Ludwick going away to San Diego in the exchange.
Westbrook was just as advertised in his Cardinals debut, allowing two runs and four hits in a no-decision while striking out seven and walking one. Known for his sinkerball, Westbrook induced 14 groundouts against one flyout on Monday against the Houston Astros.