Game One Hundred Thirty-Six: Cubs (78-57) vs. Cardinals (87-49)
- Game Time – 1:15pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: WGN-TV Ch. 9 – Radio: WBBM 780, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 187, 844
- Location – Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Dan Haren (8-9, 3.89/1.15/4.92) vs. Lance Lynn (11-8, 2.80/1.33/3.29)
Happy Labor Day!
It’s Labor Day. It’s the Cubs and Cardinals. And it’s time to renew one of the greatest all-time rivalries in baseball. The Cubs are not the same team that was swept in St. Louis in June. The Cubs are 39-22 since the last time they played a game at Busch Stadium.
The Cubs begin an 11-day, 11-game, three city trip this afternoon with the first of three in St. Louis. The Cubs still have their sights set on the division and begin play 8 ½ games back of the Cardinals. In order to have an outside shot of catching the Redbirds, Joe Maddon’s team must put together a series of one-game winning streaks. The Cubs have struggled against the Cardinals this year (4-9) and especially at Busch Stadium (1-6) like the majority of baseball. The Cubs have to learn how to beat the Redbirds and that starts today.
The Cubs and Cardinals have six games remaining against one another on the regular season schedule. The Cardinals final series at Wrigley begins in 12 days (Sept. 18-20).
On paper, the pitching match ups for the next three days favors the Cardinals. Joe Maddon has his team believing in one day and one game at a time. And Maddon will be managing this series like it is the post-season. Maddon has a relatively rested bullpen with more relievers likely on the way up from the minors.
Dan Haren opens the series against Lance Lynn. Jason Hammel goes in game two on Tuesday night and faces Michael Wacha. Jon Lester and Carlos Martinez are scheduled to pitch the series finale on Wednesday afternoon.
Joe Maddon should run out a lineup today with a focus on defense. Lefties (.263/.350/.373) have hit better than righties (.248/.301/.298) against Lance Lynn, but the Cardinals will put the ball in play today with Dan Haren on the hill. Catching the ball and not giving the Cardinals any extra outs is imperative to the Cubs success.
Today all starts with Dan Haren …
Dan Haren is coming off a solid five-inning start against the Reds. Haren allowed two runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts in five innings. Haren gave up a home run to Joey Votto in what was his only mistake in the game.
Haren is 1-2 in six starts with the Cubs. Haren has allowed 21 runs, 20 earned, on 35 hits with seven walks and 24 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. Haren has given up more home runs (9) than walks (7) in his month-plus with the Cubs.
Haren faces the organization that drafted him and that he broke in with today for the first time in a Cubs’ jersey. But don’t look for Haren to make any comments about being on the right or wrong side of the rivalry. Haren makes his second start of the season against the Redbirds this afternoon. Haren took the loss (5-1) in St. Louis on June 25 after allowing four runs on seven hits with no walks and six strikeouts in six innings.
For his career, Haren is 4-3 in eight starts against the Cardinals with a 4.27 ERA and 1.31 WHIP … at new Busch Stadium, Dan Haren is 1-1 in three starts with a 3.05 ERA and 1.31 WHIP.
Cardinals Career Numbers against Dan Haren
- Jhonny Peralta: 9-for-30 with one double and two walks
- Yadier Molina: 4-for-14 with one walk
- Mark Reynolds: 2-for-13 with one double, one home run and one walk
- Jason Heyward: 2-for-11 with one walk
- Matt Carpenter: 0-for-8 with one walk
- Jon Jay: 3-for-7 with one double
- Brandon Moss: 3-for-7 with one double and one walk
- Kolten Wong: 4-for-6 with two doubles
- Pete Kozma: 3-for-3 with one walk
- Lance Lynn: 0-for-3
- Tony Cruz: 0-for-1 with one walk
The Cubs get their third look of the season at Lance Lynn this afternoon. Lynn has been tremendous of late as the Cardinals’ magic with their starting staff continues to work. Lynn shut down the Giants in San Francisco for seven innings and allowed just six hits and two walks while striking out a pair of batters.
Lynn is 3-3 in his last six starts with a 3.16 ERA and 1.72 WHIP. And over his last nine starts, Lynn is 5-3 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. The Cubs must not take his bait, force him to get the ball up and run up his pitch count early. An uncomfortable Lance Lynn could pay dividends for the Cubs.
The Cubs have beaten Lance Lynn twice this season. In two starts against the Cubs, Lynn is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Jake Arrieta topped Lynn on April 8 at Wrigley and the Cubs won the game he started in St. Louis on May 6. For his career, Lynn is 6-5 in 13 games, 12 starts, against the Cubs with a 3.39 ERA and 1.16 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Lance Lynn
- Starlin Castro: 12-for-36 with three doubles and one triple
- Anthony Rizzo: 7-for-26 with one double, two home runs and three walks
- Dexter Fowler: 3-for-10 with two walks
- Miguel Montero: 0-for-9 with three walks
- David Ross: 2-for-9 with two doubles
- Chris Coghlan: 0-for-3 with two walks
- Dan Haren: 0-for-2 with one walk
- Quintin Berry: 1-for-3
- Kris Bryant: 1-for-3
- Austin Jackson: 1-for-3 with one double
- Addison Russell: 1-for-3 with one double
- Jonathan Herrera: 1-for-2 with one double
- Tommy La Stella: 0-for-2
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …