Cardinals at Braves
For a team full of star power and coming off a 100-victory season, the St. Louis Cardinals have received a big boost from a minor-league journeyman making the most of his first foray into the majors. Outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker is hitting .400 through the first five games of the season, and the Cardinals head into Sunday’s series finale at the Atlanta Braves looking to sweep the series and move their record to .500.
Hazelbaker got his second start Saturday, going 1-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI, and has given St. Louis a needed jolt after the Cardinals were swept in a season-opening series at Pittsburgh. The Braves are one of two teams (Minnesota) in the majors still seeking their first victory, and poor defense has short-circuited any chances of cracking the win column. The Braves have committed six errors in four games, including three costly miscues in Saturday’s 12-2 loss. Atlanta has recorded just nine hits in the first two games of the series, posting a team batting average of .167 through four contests.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. Braves RH Williams Perez (2015: 7-6, 4.78)
The veteran ace of the St. Louis staff, Wainwright gave up three runs in six innings to take the loss in Sunday’s season opener at Pittsburgh. The 34-year-old, who missed most of last year with an Achilles injury and pitched in relief late in the season upon returning, is 13th among active pitchers in wins (121). Originally selected by Atlanta in the 2000 draft, Wainwright is 8-2 with a 2.54 ERA in 15 career appearances (10 starts) against the Braves.
Perez emerged in the first 11 starts of his rookie season, winning his first four decisions before a line drive off his foot in Pittsburgh June 26 sidelined him for a month. He struggled upon his return, going 0-5 in July and August before finishing 3-1 with a 3.03 ERA in his final six starts. Perez posted a 3.27 ERA in 11 innings in spring training, enough to win one of the final spots in Atlanta’s rotation.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta CF Ender Inciarte is not expected to play in the series finale after missing Saturday’s game with a left hamstring injury; the Braves hope he can return during next week’s series at Washington.
2. The Cardinals also have struggled defensively, committing multiple errors in their past three games.
3. Given a start Saturday, St. Louis SS Aledmys Diaz went 2-for-4 and is hitting .444 since being promoted from Triple-A Monday after an injury to OF Thomas Pham.