Preview: Cubs at Cardinals

[October 09, 2015]  The Chicago Cubs just picked up their first postseason win since 2003 and have all the momentum going in their favor as they head into the National League Division Series. The St. Louis Cardinals are well-prepared for the pressures of the postseason and will host the rival Cubs in Game 1 of the NLDS on Friday.

The Cardinals posted 100 victories and are one of only two teams that finished with more wins than Chicago’s 97 in the regular season and are familiar with the Cubs’ reluctance to back down from a challenge, something that cropped up again after starter Jake Arrieta was hit by a pitch in the 4-0 wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. “We're going to stand up for our guys,” Chicago left-hander Jon Lester told ESPN.com. “And we're going to make sure that the other teams know we're going to stand up for our guys.” St. Louis and the Cubs engaged in a testy series from Sep. 18-20 that included several hit batters and some harsh words from Chicago manager Joe Maddon. Lester will take the mound in Game 1 against St. Louis righty John Lackey, who was Lester’s teammate on the 2013 World Series-winning Boston Red Sox.

TV: 6:45 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (11-12, 3.34 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (13-10, 2.77)

Lester limited opponents to two or fewer earned runs in five of his final six starts, with the lone mediocre outing coming when he surrendered four runs in six innings to lose to the Cardinals on Sept. 20. The two-time World Series champion was better 11 days earlier in St. Louis, when he yielded one run and two hits over seven frames. Lester is 6-4 with a 2.57 ERA in 14 career postseason games – 12 starts.

Lackey is a two-time World Series winner as well – with the 2002 Angels and 2013 Red Sox – and allowed a total of seven runs in his final five regular-season starts. The Texas native was at his best at home in 2015 with a 9-4 record and a 1.93 ERA, including a pair of home starts against Chicago in which he yielded a total of three runs in 14 2/3 innings. Lackey is 7-5 with a 3.08 ERA in 21 career postseason games – 18 starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Cardinals took 11 of the 18 meetings in the regular season, though the Cubs won six of the final nine.

2. Chicago rookie OF/C Kyle Schwarber homered in the wild-card game but is 0-for-12 with six strikeouts against the Cardinals.

3. St. Louis C Yadier Molina (thumb) practiced on Wednesday and is expected to play with a splint.

PREDICTION: Cubs 4, Cardinals 3

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