Preview: Cardinals at Cubs

[April 07, 2015]  The St. Louis Cardinals do not appear ready to relinquish control of the National League Central to anyone - especially Chicago - and look to make it two straight over the Cubs when they continue their three-game series at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. St. Louis waited patiently for the pomp and circumstance of Opening Day to end before defeating ace Jon Lester and Chicago 3-0 on Sunday as new addition Jason Heyward appeared comfortable batting second in the lineup.

"Selfishly, I like the idea of hitting between those two," Heyward told reporters about leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter and No. 3 Matt Holliday after the trio went 7-for-14 with three RBIs. "... I'm gonna be kind of spoiled hitting there." With the bleachers closed as Wrigley Field undergoes a major construction overhaul, the Cubs also resembled a work in progress by compiling only five hits and committing two errors. Chicago was also 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position after hitting .223 in that situation last season - the second-worst average in baseball. St. Louis' Lance Lynn appears ready after recovering from a left hip flexor strain in spring training and opposes Jake Arrieta, who hopes to continue his recent dominance of the Cardinals.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), WGN (Chicago)
 

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (2014: 15-10, 2.74 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (2014: 10-5, 2.53)

Lynn allowed three runs in 12 innings over three spring training starts - including three hits in six shutout innings against the New York Mets on Thursday, prompting St. Louis manager Mike Matheny to tell reporters: "He was great - everything we needed to see." The 27-year-old Indiana native is a workhorse, reaching 200 innings in each of the last two seasons after pitching 176 frames in his first full campaign, and compiled 48 wins during that span with at least 15 each year. Lynn is 6-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) against Chicago, although he is 2-2, 5.04 in six turns at Wrigley Field.

Arrieta tuned up with five shutout innings in a minor-league game Thursday and told reporters: "It's a good spot to finish, and now it's time to play some meaningful games." The 29-year-old Missouri native is 2-0 with a 0.92 ERA in five starts against the Cardinals, including 1-0, 1.21 with 28 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings over four turns last season. Arrieta is 14-7 with a 2.81 ERA in 34 starts with Chicago since being acquired from Baltimore in 2013.

WALK-OFFS

1. Heyward, who went 3-for-5 on Sunday, is 6-for-17 with two home runs, five RBIs and four runs scored in the second game of the season during his first five years.

2. Carpenter and Holliday are a combined 0-for-23 with six walks and eight strikeouts against Arrieta, while Heyward is 2-for-6.

3. Chicago SS Starlin Castro is 10-for-30 versus Lynn while 1B Anthony Rizzo is 5-for-22 with five strikeouts.

PREDICTION: Cubs 3, Cardinals 2

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