St. Louis @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 29, 2012 ) St. Louis 2, Chi. Cubs 4

The Chicago Cubs have nothing left to play for - except ruining the postseason hopes of the rival St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals enter this weekend’s three-game set at Wrigley Field with a 2 1/2-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League wild card race. The Cubs own the second-worst record in the majors but have taken four of six from St. Louis at Wrigley. The Cardinals will welcome Chris Carpenter back to the rotation on Friday.

Carpenter has been out since spring training and is less than two months removed from surgery to repair a nerve impingement that had caused right-side numbness. He will be slotted into a rotation that has performed well during a four-game winning streak, curbing a slide that had threatened the Cardinals' playoff position. After surviving with a split at the Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis swept Houston and is now looking at a six-game road trip through the NL basement, with the Astros up again after Chicago. The Cubs had moved over .500 at Wrigley Field last weekend but then dropped four straight home games to fall to 36-39.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, FSMW (St. Louis), CSN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Chris Carpenter (0-0, -.--) vs. Cubs RH Chris Volstad (3-10, 6.26 ERA)

Carpenter was one of the heros of St. Louis’ run to the World Series title last October but was not expected to return this season after surgery in July. The former Cy Young winner put himself through a conditioning and throwing program with the intention of helping out down the stretch. Carpenter has been strong against Chicago in the past, going 11-6 with a 3.05 ERA in 25 career starts. He was 1-0 with a 2.74 mark in three starts last season.

Volstad is coming off a rough start against Pittsburgh last weekend, when he was knocked around for six runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander has been alternating between good and bad outings of late, with wins in three of his last five turns. Volstad has lost to the Cardinals twice this season, allowing a total of eight runs (seven earned) and 12 hits in 12 innings, though both outings were in April. He is 2-3 with a 5.15 ERA in six career starts against St. Louis.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals RF Carlos Beltran (knee) was held out of the starting lineup on Thursday but delivered a pinch-hit two-run double in the sixth. Beltran has been getting regular rest this month.

2. Chicago SS Starlin Castro is 6-for-9 over the past two games and has hit .328 (19-for-58) against the Cardinals this season.

3. St. Louis closer Jason Motte has appeared in five straight games and has pitched on six of the last eight days.