Preview: Cubs At Cardinals

[May 12, 2014]  The St. Louis Cardinals wrapped up a tough series at Pittsburgh with a shaky win on Sunday night and have a chance to get a positive streak going when they kick off a 10-game homestand by hosting the Chicago Cubs on Monday. The Cardinals had dropped seven of 11 - including two losses at Chicago - before pulling out a 6-5 win over the Pirates but have some questions about their bullpen going forward. The Cubs are losers of seven of their last eight.

St. Louis relievers Kevin Siegrist, Carlos Martinez and Trevor Rosenthal each gave up a run on Sunday, and Martinez - who usually handles the eighth inning with a lead - surrendered four runs on five hits in 2 1/3 total frames during the three-game series in Pittsburgh. The Cardinals' starters were the problem in losses at Chicago on May 2 and 3, but the club avoided a sweep with a 5-4 win in the finale of that series. The Cubs’ recent swoon began with that setback, and they managed a total of four runs while enduring a three-game sweep at Atlanta over the weekend.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN (Chicago), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Travis Wood (2-4, 4.75 ERA) vs. Cardinals LH Tyler Lyons (0-2, 3.43)
 

Wood is hoping to bounce back from his worst start of the season on Wednesday, when he was tagged for eight runs on eight hits and five walks in four innings at the crosstown-rival White Sox. The 27-year-old, who was struck on the abdomen with a broken bat in that loss, has allowed three or fewer earned runs in five of his seven outings. Wood worked seven innings against St. Louis on May 2, yielding three runs - two earned - on six hits to pick up a win.

Lyons is making his fourth start and still looking for his first win despite surrendering just one run while striking out seven over six innings at Atlanta on Tuesday. The 26-year-old has received a total of two runs of support in his three previous outings. Lyons made a relief appearance against the Cubs on May 2 and worked a perfect inning in the 6-5 setback.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs 3B Mike Olt is 0-for-7 with three strikeouts in the last two games after homering in three straight.

2. St. Louis SS Jhonny Peralta went 13-for-35 on the nine-game road trip to boost his average from .196 to .242.

3. Chicago batters struck out 37 times in the three games over the weekend.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Cubs 2

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