Cubs at Cardinals
If one game can turn around the Chicago Cubs’ tepid start to the season, perhaps it was a nail-biting win in the opener of a three-game road series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs look to keep the momentum going when the rivals square off in the middle contest on Saturday.
The Cubs held on for a 3-2 win Friday behind three solo home runs – two from Willson Contreras and one from late lineup addition Tommy LaStella. The setback snapped a six-game winning streak for the Cardinals, who have lost three straight home games against Chicago. Saturday will mark the second head-to-head clash of the season between Cardinals ace Carlos Martinez and Jon Lester, who dueled on April 2 in the season opener. Neither pitcher received a decision in a 4-3 win by St. Louis, as Martinez struck out 10 over 7 1/3 scoreless innings while Lester allowed one run and seven hits with seven strikeouts over five-plus frames.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS1, ABC 7 (Chicago), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (1-1, 3.27 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (2-3, 3.86)
Lester turned in his first quality start since April 16 when he limited the New York Yankees to two runs - one earned - over seven innings in Sunday’s 18-inning marathon. The 33-year-old racked up a season-high nine strikeouts and matched his season low with three hits allowed. Lester is 1-1 with a 1.96 ERA in 10 career starts against the Cardinals and 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in four outings at Busch Stadium.
Martinez was winless over five starts in April, but he has won his first two outings this month. The 25-year-old defeated Miami on Monday despite surrendering a pair of home runs, as he struck out seven and gave up three runs over six frames. Martinez is 3-3 with a 4.17 ERA in 20 career appearances (10 starts) against the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis INF Jedd Gyorko (seven games) and 1B Matt Carpenter (six games) had their hitting streaks snapped with 0-for-3 performances on Friday.
2. Cubs SS Addison Russell has missed two straight starts with a sore right shoulder but drew a walk as a pinch-hitter on Friday and is expected to return to the lineup Saturday.
3. Cardinals OF Randal Grichuk, who snapped an 0-for-18 skid with a homer on Friday, is 1-for-13 with eight strikeouts versus Lester.