Phillies at Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals endured a brutal weekend in Milwaukee and will limp back home for a four-game set with the Philadelphia Phillies, beginning Monday. "We don't play the game to avoid injury," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny told reporters Sunday. "Guys go hard and injuries happen in this game."
Still, it had to be fairly devastating for the Cardinals to lose ace Adam Wainwright for the season to an Achilles injury on Saturday and then watch as outfielder Jason Heyward exited with a groin injury Sunday. Making matters worse was the fact that the team's four-game winning streak ended Sunday as they stranded 14 runners in a 6-3 setback to the league-worst Brewers. The Phillies took two of three against Atlanta thanks in large part to Ryan Howard, who racked up two homers and five RBIs over the last two games of the set. Veterans John Lackey and Cole Hamels square off in Monday's series opener.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Cole Hamels (0-2, 3.75 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (1-0, 4.34)
Hamels still is seeking his first win of the season and has won only one of his last nine starts, dating to 2014. The former World Series MVP tossed six innings and allowed only one unearned run against Miami last Wednesday, although he walked three more batters to raise his season total to 12 walks in 24 innings. The only current Cardinals player who has ever homered against Hamels is Mark Reynolds (4-for-16, two homers).
Lackey enjoyed a terrific start against Milwaukee on April 16 but was charged with five runs in 5 2/3 innings against Washington his last time out. His last start against Philadelphia came in 2013, when he allowed three home runs - including one to Howard - over six innings. The Phillies player with the most experience against Lackey is Grady Sizemore (4-for-20, one RBI).
WALK-OFFS
1. The Phillies' 7-3 win over the Marlins last Tuesday is their only win by more than three runs.
2. St. Louis C Yadier Molina is still looking for his first home run of the season. He has not gone deep since June 27.
3. Cardinals 3B Matt Carpenter had his 12-game hitting streak end Sunday. It was only his third hitless outing of the year.