Chicago @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 7, 2015 ) Chi. Cubs 1, St. Louis 5
The Chicago Cubs have the fourth-best winning percentage in the National League but find themselves in third place in the NL Central. They'll try to make up some ground starting Friday, when they begin a three-game road series with the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cubs have lost two straight following a four-game winning streak and are 8 1/2 games behind St. Louis, which wrapped up a three-game sweep at Miami on Thursday and owns the best record in baseball. "When you're playing them head up, you definitely want to make some noise," Cubs manager Joe Maddon told reporters. "But I don't want our guys to approach it any differently. I don't want them to think they have to play any harder, any better. Just go play." St. Louis right-hander John Lackey aims to duplicate his performance against the Cubs on May 7, when he struck out a season-high 10 batters and allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings to outduel Jake Arrieta. It will be a rematch Friday with Arrieta looking to build on his second career shutout Sunday against Minnesota and continue his success versus St. Louis as he's 3-1 with a 1.51 ERA in seven starts against the Cardinals.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ABC 7 (Chicago), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (7-5, 3.07 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (6-4, 3.41)
Arrieta threw a career-high 122 pitches last time out, but it wasn't a huge stretch for the 29-year-old, who has topped 100 pitches in nine of his 14 starts this season. The Missouri native has won three of his last four starts with all three victories coming on the road. Arrieta is 5-1 with a 2.78 ERA in seven starts away from home in 2015.
Lackey's solid campaign was interrupted by a disastrous outing at Colorado on June 8 in which he allowed 10 runs (eight earned) in four innings, but he has bounced back with two strong starts. The 36-year-old gave up two runs over eight innings to beat Minnesota on June 15 before holding Philadelphia to one run in seven frames to earn the win Saturday. Lackey is 2-1 with a 2.28 ERA in four career starts against the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant, who left Thursday's game with flu-like symptoms, has started every game since making his big-league debut April 17.
2. Cardinals RF Jason Heyward is 14-for-32 during an eight-game hitting streak and is 5-for-12 versus Arrieta.
3. St. Louis averaged 6.2 runs while winning five of its past six games.
PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Cubs 3