Chicago (42-64) at St. Louis (56-50)
Matching that run shouldn’t be too hard for the Cardinals if Albert Pujols(notes) stays hot against Chicago. He had a pair of doubles Friday, becoming the fifth Cardinal to get 2,000 career hits and the 12th-fastest player to reach that mark in league history.
“What a great thrill to behold it,” manager Tony La Russa said. “It’s a great accomplishment this early in his career. I can’t begin to describe it. I’ve tried but he’s just a great, great player.”
Pujols is 14 for 29 against the Cubs this year, driving in 10. He has a 10-game hitting streak against them going back to last season.
St. Louis’ Kyle Lohse(notes) (8-7, 3.46 ERA) will take the mound Saturday, trying to close out a frustrating July on a positive note.
Lohse is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in four starts this month. The Cardinals have dropped seven of his last eight starts, including Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh in which he allowed two runs in five innings of a 4-3, 10-inning loss.
The veteran right-hander had tests last week for inflammation in the middle finger of his pitching hand, but they revealed no significant damage. He was more effective Sunday after allowing 16 runs in his previous 17 2-3 innings.
He struggled against the Cubs on June 4, but escaped without a decision after giving up four runs and 11 hits in 5 2-3 innings during a 5-4, 12-inning Cardinals victory. He is 1-4 with a 6.51 ERA in 11 career starts against Chicago.
He may have a good chance to improve that record considering the Cubs (42-64) have dropped four straight while scoring six runs and batting .227.
Aramis Ramirez(notes), who clarified comments regarding whether he’d waive his no-trade clause before Friday’s game, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
“We knew there would be some teams interested in my services, and (general manager Jim Hendry) asked me what I wanted to do, and I said I want to stay here and he said, ‘Good, I want you here,’” Ramirez told the Cubs’ official website.
The third baseman is still 8 for 20 against St. Louis this year with five RBIs.
Chicago, a season-high 22 games below .500, will hand the ball to Rodrigo Lopez(notes) (2-2, 3.49), who is scheduled to make his first start since beating Philadelphia on July 18.
Lopez pitched in relief Sunday against Houston, striking out the only batter he faced while a runner was caught stealing.
The right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.85 ERA in his last four starts. He faced the Cardinals twice as a reliever in June, giving up a walkoff home run to Pujols on June 5 - the only hit in Pujols’ 13 at-bats against Lopez.
As the St. Louis Cardinals try to move up the NL Central standings, more meetings with the Chicago Cubs could help their efforts.
The Cardinals will look to make it six straight wins over the Cubs for the first time in more than a decade Saturday.
St. Louis (56-50) improved to 6-1 against Chicago this year with a 9-2 victory Friday. Edwin Jackson(notes) pitched seven innings in his debut with the team and David Freese(notes) hit a three-run homer, while former Cubs infielder Ryan Theriot(notes) doubled twice and drove in three runs.
The Cardinals, who stayed 1 1/2 games behind first-place Milwaukee, have tallied 42 runs and hit .295 in the season series with the Cubs, winning the last five. St. Louis’ last six-game winning streak in the rivalry was in 2000.St. Louis (56-50) improved to 6-1 against Chicago this year with a 9-2 victory Friday. Edwin Jackson(notes) pitched seven innings in his debut with the team and David Freese(notes) hit a three-run homer, while former Cubs infielder Ryan Theriot(notes) doubled twice and drove in three runs.
Matching that run shouldn’t be too hard for the Cardinals if Albert Pujols(notes) stays hot against Chicago. He had a pair of doubles Friday, becoming the fifth Cardinal to get 2,000 career hits and the 12th-fastest player to reach that mark in league history.
“What a great thrill to behold it,” manager Tony La Russa said. “It’s a great accomplishment this early in his career. I can’t begin to describe it. I’ve tried but he’s just a great, great player.”
Pujols is 14 for 29 against the Cubs this year, driving in 10. He has a 10-game hitting streak against them going back to last season.
St. Louis’ Kyle Lohse(notes) (8-7, 3.46 ERA) will take the mound Saturday, trying to close out a frustrating July on a positive note.
Lohse is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in four starts this month. The Cardinals have dropped seven of his last eight starts, including Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh in which he allowed two runs in five innings of a 4-3, 10-inning loss.
The veteran right-hander had tests last week for inflammation in the middle finger of his pitching hand, but they revealed no significant damage. He was more effective Sunday after allowing 16 runs in his previous 17 2-3 innings.
He struggled against the Cubs on June 4, but escaped without a decision after giving up four runs and 11 hits in 5 2-3 innings during a 5-4, 12-inning Cardinals victory. He is 1-4 with a 6.51 ERA in 11 career starts against Chicago.
He may have a good chance to improve that record considering the Cubs (42-64) have dropped four straight while scoring six runs and batting .227.
Aramis Ramirez(notes), who clarified comments regarding whether he’d waive his no-trade clause before Friday’s game, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
“We knew there would be some teams interested in my services, and (general manager Jim Hendry) asked me what I wanted to do, and I said I want to stay here and he said, ‘Good, I want you here,’” Ramirez told the Cubs’ official website.
The third baseman is still 8 for 20 against St. Louis this year with five RBIs.
Chicago, a season-high 22 games below .500, will hand the ball to Rodrigo Lopez(notes) (2-2, 3.49), who is scheduled to make his first start since beating Philadelphia on July 18.
Lopez pitched in relief Sunday against Houston, striking out the only batter he faced while a runner was caught stealing.
The right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.85 ERA in his last four starts. He faced the Cardinals twice as a reliever in June, giving up a walkoff home run to Pujols on June 5 - the only hit in Pujols’ 13 at-bats against Lopez.
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