St. Louis @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( May 12, 2015 ) St. Louis 8, Cleveland 3
The St. Louis Cardinals avoided their first three-game losing streak on Tuesday and will try to ensure a series win when they visit the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday in the second of a three-game set. The Indians are trying to avoid a third straight series loss.
Cleveland’s big problems have come from the pitching staff while dropping 11 of their last 16 contests. Indians starter Carlos Carrasco allowed four runs in 6 2/3 innings in Tuesday’s opener and the bullpen was no better in an 8-3 Cardinals triumph. St. Louis suffered a rare series loss at Pittsburgh over the weekend but got a key piece of the offense back for the current series when Matt Carpenter (extreme fatigue) returned from a three-game absence. Carpenter delivered two of the Cardinals’ 13 hits in Tuesday’s win.
TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH John Lackey (2-1, 3.20 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (0-5, 5.04)
Lackey is coming off one of his most dominating efforts of the young season, when he held the Chicago Cubs to one run on five hits in 7 2/3 innings while striking out 10. The Texas native has surrendered a total of two runs and 11 hits in 13 2/3 innings over his last two outings. Lackey is 8-8 with a 3.94 ERA in 19 career starts against Cleveland.
Kluber had everything go right in his 2014 Cy Young campaign but is dealing with slightly more adversity in 2015. The Stetson product yielded two earned runs in each of his first three starts but has since been rocked for 22 runs (19 earned) in 23 innings over his last four outings – all losses. Kluber is facing the Cardinals for the first time and is 0-2 with a 5.09 ERA and .342 batting average against in three home starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cardinals LF Matt Holliday recorded two home runs and seven RBIs in the last four games.
2. Cleveland 2B Jason Kipnis is 9-for-14 over the last three games.
3. St. Louis C Yadier Molina has hit safely in eight straight games.
PREDICTION: Indians 4, Cardinals 3