Cubs at Cardinals
With their four-game losing streak out of the way, the Chicago Cubs can focus on salvaging a split with the rival St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday afternoon. The Cubs, who snapped the host Cardinals' eight-game winning streak Wednesday, aim to earn a split of the four-game set and even the season series.
The Cardinals pulled out comeback victories in each of the first two games of the series and threatened to do so again before Hector Rondon locked down a 6-5 win for the Cubs. Chicago right-hander Jake Arrieta looks to duplicate his effort against the Cardinals on April 8 at Wrigley Field, when he gave up only three hits over seven scoreless innings in a 2-0 victory. Arrieta will try his hand at cooling a St. Louis lineup that averaged 6.1 runs during its winning streak and has scored five or more in six of the last nine games. The Cardinals are assured of at least a split but are trying for their eighth consecutive series victory since splitting an abbreviated two-game set with the Cubs to open the season.
TV: 1:45 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (3-2, 2.84 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (1-1, 3.69)
Arrieta failed to record a quality start last time out, marking the first time he has done so this season. He gave up four runs over five innings in a loss to Milwaukee, snapping a streak of eight straight quality starts dating to 2014. The 29-year-old is 3-0 with a 0.74 ERA in six career starts against St. Louis.
Lackey is winless in his last three outings but has twirled back-to-back quality starts. The 36-year-old limited Pittsburgh to one run over six innings last time out but didn't get a decision in a 2-1 win. Lackey is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in three starts against the Cubs, but the lone victory came way back in 2004.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cardinals LF Matt Holliday has reached base safely in all 26 games he has played this season and 28 straight dating to last season, but he is 1-for-15 with five strikeouts versus Arrieta.
2. Cubs rookie 2B Addison Russell is 11-for-32 with two homers and six RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak.
3. Chicago SS Starlin Castro has hit safely in nine straight games against the Cardinals and has an RBI in each of his last four versus St. Louis.