Game Thirty-Eight – Cubs (13-24) vs. Cardinals (19-20)
- Game Time – 7:15pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: WCIU – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channels 186, 844
- Location – Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Jake Arrieta (0-0, 2.89/1.71/2.34) vs. Adam Wainwright (6-2, 2.02/0.93/2.52)
Weather permitting … The Cubs will shoot for two wins in a row over the Cardinals tonight behind Jake Arrieta. The offense broke out in a big way on Monday night and unfortunately the Cubs have the tough task of facing Adam Wainwright tonight.
The Cubs have played good ball against the Cardinals this season. The entire team seems more focused in the field with a game plan at the plate. Rick Renteria and his coaching staff spent time before Monday’s game working with the players on situational hitting and the extra work paid immediate dividends. The Cubs will have to manufacture runs again tonight with Wainwright on the hill in order to put runs on the board.
And tonight it all starts with Jake Arrieta …
Jake Arrieta makes his third start of the season tonight. Arrieta has been very good and not-so-good in his first two appearances. Arrieta tossed 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball against the Cardinals on May 3 in his season debut. Arrieta settled in after some early command issues and struck out seven while issuing two walks. Arrieta was not as sharp in his last outing and struggled with his command and control. The Cubs won the game 12-5 but Arrieta lasted just four innings and gave up four runs, three earned, to the White Sox on nine hits. Arrieta walked one and struck out two.
When Jake Arrieta throws strikes, he is obviously very good. Right now, however, there does not seem to be anything in between for Jake Arrieta.
Tonight will be Jake Arrieta’s third career start against the Cardinals. Arrieta is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP (no runs on six hits with four walks and 14 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings).
Cardinals Career Numbers against Jake Arrieta
- Mark Ellis: 1-for-5 with three walks
- Jhonny Peralta: 4-for-8 with two doubles
- Matt Carpenter: 0-for-5 with one walk
- Allen Craig: 0-for-5
- Matt Holliday: 0-for-5 with one walk
- Peter Bourjos: 0-for-3 with two walks
- Jon Jay: 0-for-4 with one walk
- Matt Adams: 3-for-3
- Daniel Descalso: 0-for-2
- Greg Garcia: 0-for-2
- Yadier Molina: 0-for-2
Adam Wainwright bounced back from the first loss of his career at Wrigley Field with a dominating performance in Atlanta. Wainwright held the Braves to one run on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts in eight innings. Wainwright been, well, Adam Wainwright against every other team he’s faced this year with the exception of the Cubs.
Adam Wainwright has allowed 13 runs on 40 hits this season. The Cubs have scored 10 runs on 15 hits the two times they have faced him this season.
The Cardinals’ ace is 9-7 in 33 games, 24 starts, against the Cubs in his career with a 4.49 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP … this season, Wainwright is 1-1 in the two appearances against the Cubs with a 7.50 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Adam Wainwright
- Starlin Castro: 9-for-31 with one double, one triple and two walks
- Darwin Barney: 8-for-29 with two doubles and one home run
- Nate Schierholtz: 7-for-21 with four double and one walk
- Anthony Rizzo: 6-for-18 with one home run and two walks
- Luis Valbuena: 5-for-14 with four doubles and one walk
- Welington Castillo: 3-for-11 with two double
- Chris Coghlan: 4-for-11 with one double and one walk
- Emilio Bonifacio: 2-for-10 with one walk
- John Baker: 1-for-10
- Junior Lake: 3-for-9 with one double and one home run
- Ryan Kalish: 0-for-3
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …