Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Cardinals – 09/14/10

Randy Wells (6-13, 4.61/1.46) vs. Adam Wainwright (18-10, 2.38/1.03)

Randy Wells will make the first start of his career at Busch Stadium tonight. Wells grew up a Cardinals fan and will try to bury his childhood team further behind the Reds in the race for the Central Division crown. The Redbirds enter play tonight seven games back of Cincinnati … in full blown must win mode.

The Cubs are 12-7 under Mike Quade and 6-4 versus St. Louis this season … with five left on the 2010 schedule. If the Q’s crew can take care of business against the Redbirds, Tony LaRussa will be watching the post-season from home as well.

In Other News
Aramis Ramirez returned to the starting lineup Monday, his first start in eight days, but came up limping on a double in the first inning against the Redbirds. Ramirez status for tonight’s game is unknown.

Starlin Castro was a late scratch from Monday’s lineup with a bruised left hip. Castro ran into Brett Wallace (the Astros’ first baseman) last Wednesday and is still paying for it. After Monday’s game, Quade said Castro will probably be out of the lineup for a couple of days.

Carlos Silva has tendonitis in his right elbow and will rejoin the Cubs today. The Cubs are not sure about Silva’s next step and will decide soon.

Tyler Colvin is listed as day-to-day after getting hit in the left elbow Monday night. Colvin has a “large welt” on his elbow.

Jim Hendry is happy with the job Mike Quade is doing … and said the Cubs’ interim skipper is doing an “outstanding job.”

Tonight it all begins with Randy Wells … Randy Wells was raised a Cardinals’ fan and recently said how forward he was looking to making this start tonight. Hopefully Mr. Wells will have a good outing because for the second start in a row he is facing an excellent starting pitcher.

Wells has been inconsistent at best this season. He is coming off another mediocre outing and needs to show something positive down the stretch. The Astros scored four runs in six innings against Wells but pounded out nine hits and walked twice … 11 baserunners in six innings is too many on a regular basis. And Wells has put together more starts like the one against the Astros than can be counted on two hands.

After a very bad August (1-4 in six starts with a 5.91 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP), Wells is 0-1 in his last two with a 6.17 ERA and a 1.97 WHIP … that is eight runs on 17 hits with six walks in 11 2/3 innings.

Since August 1, Randy Wells is 1-5 in eight starts with 5.98 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP.

Tonight will be Wells’ third start of the year against the Cardinals. He is 1-1 in the first two with a 6.43 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP.

Wells is 1-2 in four career games, three starts, with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP.

Cardinals Career Numbers against Randy Wells

• Pedro Feliz – 1-for-3
• Matt Holliday – 2-for-4
• Jon Jay – 1-for-2 with a walk
• Felipe Lopez – 3-for-9 with 2 walks
• Yadier Molina – 1-for-3 with a double and a walk
• Albert Pujols – 1-for-8
• Colby Rasmus – 2-for-5 with 2 walks
• Brendan Ryan – 1-for-3
• Skip Schumaker – 2-for-8
• Adam Wainwright – 2-for-3
• Randy Winn – 0-for-3 with a walk

The Cubs will face one of the best in the business tonight in Adam Wainwright. After poor outings in three straight starts against the Pirates, Nationals and Reds (by his standards), Wainwright said he would not lose again this season. Wainwright put together a tremendous eight-inning start against the Braves. Wainwright held the Braves to three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Wainwright is 1-1 in his last two starts with a 3.46 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He is 5-5 in 11 starts since the break with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP.

At home this season, Wainwright is 11-2 in 14 games with a 1.52 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP.

The Redbirds best starter has already dominated the Cubs once this season (1-0 in one start with a 1.29 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP) and is 5-3 in 21 career games, 12 starts, versus the Cubs with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.

The last time the Cubs beat Wainwright was September 14, 2007 … three years ago tonight.

Cubs Career Numbers against Adam Wainwright

• Jeff Baker – 1-for-6 with a walk
• Marlon Byrd – 1-for-3
• Starlin Castro – 2-for-3
• Tyler Colvin – 0-for-1
• Blake DeWitt – 3-for-8 with a double
• Kosuke Fukudome – 4-for-22 with a double, a home run and a walk
• Sam Fuld – 2-for-3 with a double and a walk
• Koyie Hill – 0-for-5
• Micah Hoffpauir – 2-for-8
• Xavier Nady – 6-for-16 with a walk
• Aramis Ramirez – 13-for-35 with 4 doubles, a home run and 3 walks
• Bobby Scales – 0-for-2 with 2 walks
• Alfonso Soriano – 5-for-28 with 2 doubles, a triple and 5 walks
• Geovany Soto – 5-for-16 with 2 doubles, a home run and 2 walks
• Randy Wells – 0-for-2

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