Preview: Cardinals at Braves

[April 08, 2016]  The St. Louis Cardinals won 100 games while finishing first in baseball’s most competitive division last season, but are off to their worst start in nine years after a season-opening three-game sweep at Pittsburgh. The Cardinals look to get on track Friday as they open a weekend set at the Atlanta Braves, who also are winless after dropping two games to the Washington Nationals to begin their 2016 campaign.

Nothing went right in Pittsburgh for St. Louis, which struck out 37 times in three games while the starting rotation surrendered 23 hits in 14 2/3 innings and posted a 6.75 ERA. “We’ve got some work to do to get where we want to be,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told reporters after Wednesday’s 5-1 loss. The Braves are 0-2 after being swept by the Nationals and their defense proved costly in both defeats, as catcher A.J. Pierzynski could not corral a potential game-ending throw to the plate Monday and missed a throw Wednesday that allowed Washington to score the tying run en route to a 3-1 victory. “Every time we made a mistake, they scored a crooked number,” Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez told the media.

TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN South (Atlanta)
 

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (2015: 10-6, 2.43 ERA) vs. Braves RH Matt Wisler (2015: 8-8, 4.71)

Garcia was outstanding after missing the first seven weeks of last season while recovering from 2014 nerve surgery, winning seven of his final nine decisions and going 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA in six August starts. He lost his only outing against Atlanta last season, giving up two runs on six hits in four innings on Oct. 2. Garcia struggled in spring training, allowing nine earned runs in 14 2/3 innings.

Of all the heralded pitching prospects gathered by the Braves during their rebuild, Wisler has made the biggest impact to this point. The 23-year-old battled rookie inconsistency in 2015, winning five of his first six decisions after being promoted in June, then losing seven decisions in a row before ending with a flourish – giving up three runs over 22 2/3 innings in winning his final three starts. Wisler went 2-0 with a 1.15 ERA in two starts against the Cardinals in 2015.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta 3B Adonis Garcia followed up his opening day homer Monday with three hits Wednesday.

2. One lone bright spot for the Cardinals: Rookie OF Jeremy Hazelbaker homered in his first big-league start Wednesday, one night after recording a pinch-hit double.

3. The Braves have nearly as many errors (three) as RBIs (four) through two games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 3, Braves 2

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