[July 22, 2014]Adam Wainwright looks to resume a
standout season after a rough inning at the All-Star game when his St.
Louis Cardinals host the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday to start a two-game
interleague set. Wainwright leads the majors in ERA (1.83) and is tied
for the most wins (12), including a 1-0 triumph at Tampa Bay on June 10.
Jake Odorizzi, who grew up just outside St. Louis, took the hard-luck
loss in that tilt and gets another crack at the Cardinals after going
3-1 in his last six outings.
Odorizzi played a role in the turnaround for the Rays, who have
won 23 of 34 games after being blanked by Wainwright and three
relievers. James Loney is 12-for-26 with a homer lifetime against
Wainwright and had seven hits during a three-game sweep at Minnesota
as Tampa Bay increased its win streak to five. Matt Holliday
recorded nine RBIs in his last nine games for St. Louis, which has
won 10 of its last 15 overall.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Jake Odorizzi (5-8, 4.01 ERA) vs.
Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (12-4, 1.83)
Odorizzi continues to solidify his spot in the rotation while
surrendering two or fewer earned runs in six of his previous seven
starts and recording three wins over his last four decisions. The
24-year-old from Highland, Ill., has struck out 116 in 101 innings
with 39 walks. Holliday homered for the Cardinals’ only run last
month against Odorizzi, who gave up three hits, one walk and struck
out five over 7 1/3 innings.
Wainwright gave up three runs in the All-Star game, but has yielded
two or fewer in seven straight starts while going 4-1. The Georgia
native boasts 115 strikeouts and 27 walks while allowing only four
homers – none in the last seven games – over 138 innings. Wainwright
scattered seven hits over seven frames versus the Rays in June and
gave up four runs and 12 hits over 5 2/3 innings in the only other
meeting in 2008.
