Chicago @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 25, 2024 ) Chi. Cubs 6, St. Louis 7
The Chicago Cubs came up just short with their ninth-inning rally Saturday night, but their 7-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals represented an offensive breakthrough.
This was the first time the Cubs scored more than four runs in a game since May 15. They will try to build on that success when they face the Cardinals Sunday night to conclude their rainout-shortened road series.
MLB.com noted that the Cubs posted a 250/.330/.411 slash line and averaged 5.4 runs through their first 26 games. During their next 24 games, the Cubs produced a .201/.290/.328 slash line while averaging 3.3 runs per game.
In the five games prior to Saturday's loss, Chicago scored just nine times. But Cubs manager Craig Counsell said he knew it was just a matter of time before his offense got rolling.
"These are good offensive players," Counsell said. "You go through stretches like this during a season. It's not fun going through stretches like this as a group. Of course, it's frustrating. But this is a good offensive group, and we'll score runs."
Nico Hoerner (2-for-4, two RBIs), Mike Tauchman (2-for-4, walk, RBI), Cody Bellinger (2-for-5, RBI) and Patrick Wisdom (1-for-3, RBI) signaled Saturday that the Cubs could be getting out of their slump.
"For the players, I think the answers are just staying in your thing and your process and swinging at the right pitches," Counsell said. "That's how you get out of it. And that's what we have to just have faith that we're going to do and will do."
Javier Assad (4-0, 1.70 ERA) will start the finale of the now two-game series.
In his start Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves, Assad walked five batters in 4 2/3 innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits, including two homers, in a game the Cubs eventually won 4-3 in 10 innings.
He is 0-1 with a 1.65 ERA in six career outings against the Cardinals, including one start.
While the Cubs have lost eight of their past 11 games, the Cardinals have won nine of 11. They will try to keep rolling with staff ace Sonny Gray (6-2, 2.87 ERA), who is coming off a 6-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.
He allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. Gray had worked six innings or more in five of his previous six starts, but he tapped out during a long sixth inning against the Orioles.
"I felt it was the right thing to have someone else come in and try to finish that inning," Gray said. "As much as I want to be, ‘I'm tough.' I just thought it was the right thing. I was just kind of saying, ‘I've got nothing left.'"
Earlier this season, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol left Gray in to finish an inning after consulting with him on the mound. In this case, Gray waved for Marmol to come get him.
Gray is 4-3 with a 2.98 ERA in 11 career starts against the Cubs.
The Cubs made a bullpen adjustment Saturday by activating left-hander Drew Smyly and optioning Jose Cuas to Triple-A Iowa. Smyly had been sidelined by a hip ailment.
--Field Level Media