St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs Live MLB Streaming Online Radio Commentary with many more features internet tv channel HD Quality Feed 8/19. Though winning the NL Central appears unlikely, the St. Louis Cardinals could still make a late-season push. A matchup with their archrivals could jump start such a run.
Starting Pitchers
St. Louis: Garcia (10-6, 3.42 ERA)
Chicago: Wells (4-4, 5.90 ERA)
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The Cardinals trailed division leader Milwaukee by 2 1/2 games Aug. 1, but remained seven back of the surging Brewers with a 7-2 victory at Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
"That was definitely a big win to kind of stop things there," left fielder Allen Craig said after going 4 for 5 with his first two-homer game to help the Cardinals avoid a third straight loss.
St. Louis has been unable to keep pace as Milwaukee has reeled off six straight wins and 19 in its last 21.
Before opening a stretch of 16 of 19 at home, the Cardinals look to extend their domination of the Cubs (54-70) in 2011, as they've won seven of nine. St. Louis took two of three at Wrigley Field from May 10-12.
Albert Pujols went 6 for 13 during that series and is batting .486 with five homers, five doubles and 11 RBIs against Chicago this season.
Tied with former Cub Andre Dawson for 38th all-time with 438 homers, Pujols has gone 3 for 11 with a home run and a double off Randy Wells (4-4, 5.90 ERA).
The right-hander gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 5-4, 12-inning loss in St. Louis on June 4 -- his second start after coming off the disabled list.
In 12 starts since, Wells has lasted more than six innings twice.
"Still not vintage Wells, but he's getting there," manager Mike Quade told the Cubs' official website after he gave up two runs in five-plus innings of an 8-4 road win over Atlanta on Saturday.
Quade would welcome a lengthy outing from Wells after his overworked bullpen logged 21 innings during a just-completed 3-3 trip. Chicago needed 4 1/3 innings from its relievers in the finale, a 4-3 loss to lowly Houston on Wednesday.
The Cubs had won 12 of 15 prior to dropping the last two games against the Astros.
"A sour finish to the road trip," second baseman Darwin Barney told the team's website. "... We didn't take advantage of opportunities."
That's also been the case for Chicago in two matchups with Jaime Garcia (10-6, 3.42) this season. The left-hander gave up two runs in 15 innings and struck out 12 while winning both games.
In his first career start at Wrigley Field, Garcia threw seven innings of one-run ball in a 9-1 victory May 12. However, he has gone 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in his last four starts after posting a 3-1 mark and a 1.71 ERA in his previous four.
Garcia walked seven in his last two outings.
"(The walks) came back to hurt me," he said after surrendering a season high-tying four in a 6-1 loss to Colorado on Saturday.
Walking Aramis Ramirez might not be a bad idea. The Cubs third baseman has gone 15 for 30 with three homers and seven RBIs in the last seven games, and he's among the major league leaders since June 25 with 18 home runs and 43 RBIs.
Ramirez, though, was hitless in 10 at-bats the last time these clubs met July 29-31 in St. Louis.
Center fielder Marlon Byrd went 5 for 12 during that series and is batting .400 (10 for 25) versus the Cardinals in 2011. He has one hit in seven at-bats off Garcia.
Chicago has won seven of nine at home.
Starting Pitchers
St. Louis: Garcia (10-6, 3.42 ERA)
Chicago: Wells (4-4, 5.90 ERA)
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Friday, August 19, 2011Making their final visit to Chicago this season, the Cardinals open a three-game series against the Cubs on Friday.
TEAMS TIME (ET) NAT TV RESOURCES PITCHERS
St. Louis at Chicago Cubs 2:20 PM StubHub Garcia vs Wells
Cleveland at Detroit 7:05 PM StubHub Tomlin vs Scherzer
Philadelphia at Washington 7:05 PM StubHub Oswalt vs Hernandez
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh 7:05 PM StubHub Bailey vs Correia
Milwaukee at NY Mets 7:10 PM StubHub Marcum vs Pelfrey
Seattle at Tampa Bay 7:10 PM StubHub Hernandez vs Davis
Arizona at Atlanta 7:35 PM StubHub Hudson vs Lowe
San Francisco at Houston 8:05 PM StubHub Vogelsong vs Rodriguez
Texas at Chicago White Sox 8:10 PM StubHub Harrison vs Peavy
Boston at Kansas City 8:10 PM StubHub Miller vs Francis
NY Yankees at Minnesota 8:10 PM StubHub Hughes vs Slowey
LA Dodgers at Colorado 8:40 PM StubHub Kuroda vs Hammel
Baltimore at LA Angels 10:05 PM StubHub Reyes vs Haren
Toronto at Oakland 10:05 PM StubHub Cecil vs Harden
Florida at San Diego 10:05 PM StubHub Volstad vs LeBlanc
"That was definitely a big win to kind of stop things there," left fielder Allen Craig said after going 4 for 5 with his first two-homer game to help the Cardinals avoid a third straight loss.
St. Louis has been unable to keep pace as Milwaukee has reeled off six straight wins and 19 in its last 21.
Before opening a stretch of 16 of 19 at home, the Cardinals look to extend their domination of the Cubs (54-70) in 2011, as they've won seven of nine. St. Louis took two of three at Wrigley Field from May 10-12.
Albert Pujols went 6 for 13 during that series and is batting .486 with five homers, five doubles and 11 RBIs against Chicago this season.
Tied with former Cub Andre Dawson for 38th all-time with 438 homers, Pujols has gone 3 for 11 with a home run and a double off Randy Wells (4-4, 5.90 ERA).
The right-hander gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 5-4, 12-inning loss in St. Louis on June 4 -- his second start after coming off the disabled list.
In 12 starts since, Wells has lasted more than six innings twice.
"Still not vintage Wells, but he's getting there," manager Mike Quade told the Cubs' official website after he gave up two runs in five-plus innings of an 8-4 road win over Atlanta on Saturday.
Quade would welcome a lengthy outing from Wells after his overworked bullpen logged 21 innings during a just-completed 3-3 trip. Chicago needed 4 1/3 innings from its relievers in the finale, a 4-3 loss to lowly Houston on Wednesday.
The Cubs had won 12 of 15 prior to dropping the last two games against the Astros.
"A sour finish to the road trip," second baseman Darwin Barney told the team's website. "... We didn't take advantage of opportunities."
That's also been the case for Chicago in two matchups with Jaime Garcia (10-6, 3.42) this season. The left-hander gave up two runs in 15 innings and struck out 12 while winning both games.
In his first career start at Wrigley Field, Garcia threw seven innings of one-run ball in a 9-1 victory May 12. However, he has gone 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in his last four starts after posting a 3-1 mark and a 1.71 ERA in his previous four.
Garcia walked seven in his last two outings.
"(The walks) came back to hurt me," he said after surrendering a season high-tying four in a 6-1 loss to Colorado on Saturday.
Walking Aramis Ramirez might not be a bad idea. The Cubs third baseman has gone 15 for 30 with three homers and seven RBIs in the last seven games, and he's among the major league leaders since June 25 with 18 home runs and 43 RBIs.
Ramirez, though, was hitless in 10 at-bats the last time these clubs met July 29-31 in St. Louis.
Center fielder Marlon Byrd went 5 for 12 during that series and is batting .400 (10 for 25) versus the Cardinals in 2011. He has one hit in seven at-bats off Garcia.
Chicago has won seven of nine at home.
