Chicago @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 30, 2011 ) Chi. Cubs 5, St. Louis 13
THE STORY: The National League’s most explosive team goes for a sweep of its archrival when the St. Louis Cardinals host the Chicago Cubs on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball.” The Cardinals have scored an NL-best 514 runs (4.8 per game) after their 13-5 victory Saturday. Albert Pujols, who belted his 24th homer in the win, is 16-for-33 with five homers and 11 RBIs in eight games this season against the Cubs. St. Louis leads the season series 7-1.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Jake Westbrook (9-4, 4.86 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Ryan Dempster (7-8, 4.98).
Westbrook is 2-1 with a 6.59 ERA in three starts against Chicago. He has struggled at home this season, going 3-2 with a 6.33 ERA, but has benefited from tremendous run support. Opponents are batting .289 against him. Dempster has a 4.91 ERA in July but has struck out 25 batters in 22 innings. In 45 career appearances against the Cardinals, he is 7-8 with a 4.64 ERA. Dempster is coming off a decent outing against Milwaukee in which he allowed three runs over six innings.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS (57-50): St. Louis has committed 74 errors, third-most in the NL, after miscues by Daniel Descalso and David Freese Saturday. Freese, however, homered for the second straight day, and his last three homers have gone to the opposite field. Pujols’ line-drive homer Saturday was the 432nd of his career, putting him one ahead of Cal Ripken Jr. for 40th on the all-time list. Right fielder Lance Berkman missed his fourth straight start Saturday with a shoulder strain.
ABOUT THE CUBS (42-65): The Cubs have dropped five straight to fall a season-worst 23 games below .500. While the offense broke out somewhat Saturday behind Alfonso Soriano's 16th homer, all five runs were unearned. Trade rumors continue to swirl around Aramis Ramirez prior to Sunday's non-waiver deadline. The slugging third baseman is in a 2-for-27 skid after going 0-for-3 on Saturday. He still leads the team with 63 RBIs and ranks second with 19 homers.
FINAL PITCH: St. Louis was close to acquiring Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal as the trade deadline approached. With his starting shortstop job in danger, Cards shortstop Ryan Theriot went 4-for-5 with a double and three RBIs on Saturday.