Preview: Cubs at Cardinals

[October 10, 2015]  The St. Louis Cardinals look to take a commanding 2-0 lead when they host the Chicago Cubs for Game 2 of their National League Division Series on Saturday. St. Louis posted a 4-0 victory in the opener of the best-of-five set, breaking Chicago's nine-game winning streak that included Wednesday's wild-card victory at Pittsburgh.

The Cubs will look to get their bats moving in Game 2 after recording just three singles in the opener. "We could not get anything generated," Chicago manager Joe Maddon said during his postgame press conference. "They've pitched really well all season - that's a big reason they won 100 games." Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was in the Game 1 lineup despite a sprained left thumb and was hitless in three at-bats. "Anytime you get Yadier back there, it's huge," St. Louis' Randal Grichuk said after the opener. "The things he does and brings to the team, you can't even say them all."

TV: 5:37 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (8-7, 3.95 ERA) vs. Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (10-6, 2.43)

Hendricks is a surprise Game 2 starter but was dominant in his final two regular-season outings, giving up three hits and striking out 17 in 12 scoreless innings. "I've been preparing myself for any possibilities, so I wasn't caught off-guard," Hendricks told reporters. "But I was definitely excited. I'm glad they gave me this opportunity." Hendricks is 0-1 with a 3.97 ERA in four career starts against St. Louis and gave up four runs and six hits in five frames of a no-decision on May 5.

Garcia is 0-2 with a 4.23 ERA in six career postseason starts but is taking the ball in the playoffs for the first time since 2012. A series of arm injuries has plagued his career and caused a transformation from a power pitcher to a hurler that relies heavily on his sinker and changeup. "Those two pitches are big for me," Garcia told reporters. "It's always about being willing to make changes for good and reinventing yourself. The sinker and changeup are my strength right now."

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals OFs Tommy Pham and Stephen Piscotty each homered in Game 1 to become the fourth and fifth St. Louis rookies to go deep in their first postseason game.

2. Chicago rookie OF Kyle Schwarber is 4-for-6 with a homer and three RBIs in two playoff contests.

3. St. Louis LF Matt Holliday delivered a run-scoring single in the opener for his 37th career postseason RBI.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Cubs 1

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.