The Chicago Cubs let a doubleheader sweep slip away, but they still can secure a series victory when they host the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday for the finale of their five-game series. The Cubs won 7-2 in the first game of Saturday's twinbill, but the Cardinals rallied late for a 6-3 victory in the nightcap to even the series at two wins apiece.
Chicago’s depleted bullpen missed injured closer Brandon Morrow, as the Cardinals scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings and three in the ninth to hand the Cubs just their third loss when leading after seven frames in 50 such instances this season. The Cubs hope Jose Quintana can do what no other pitcher has been able to do in the series — shut down Matt Carpenter. The Cardinals’ first baseman is 11-for-20 with three doubles, eight homers, nine runs and 12 RBIs in his last six games, and his last 12 hits have all gone for extra bases. St. Louis is 7-5 against the Cubs this season, and Carpenter is a big reason why as he has belted eight homers in the series.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, TBS, FS Midwest (St. Louis), ABC 7 (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Miles Mikolas (10-3, 2.79 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jose Quintana (8-6, 3.96)
Mikolas will return from paternity leave looking to build on his All-Star first half. The 29-year-old gave up three runs over four innings in his last start before the break, snapping a streak of four straight quality starts. Mikolas scattered seven hits across seven scoreless frames to defeat the Cubs on May 4.
After going winless in five starts in June, Quintana has won his first two outings this month. The 29-year-old allowed two runs over six innings to beat Detroit on July 4, then tossed six scoreless frames to win at San Francisco six days later. Quintana is 3-2 with a 2.81 ERA in six career starts against the Cardinals, with both losses coming this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Carpenter has homered in six straight games, the longest single-season streak in Cardinals history, to equal Mark McGwire’s franchise-record streak that bridges the 1997 and 1998 seasons.
2. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo reached base in eight of his 10 plate appearances during Saturday’s doubleheader and is 13-for-24 with five doubles and a triple over his last seven contests.
3. St. Louis 3B Yairo Munoz is 11-for-31 during his nine-game hitting streak.