The last time the Cardinals were in San Francisco they lost three straight games and dropped the 2014 NLCS in five games to the Giants.
They look for better results this time, though the stakes aren’t as high, when the teams open a three-game weekend series.
ODDS ANALYSIS
A stretch of four losses in six games last week narrowed the gap in the NL Central and had the Cardinals faithful worried. Worry no more. The Cards are back on track. An 8-0 loss in San Diego last Saturday was the low-point of that six-game stretch where the Cardinals averaged just 2.2 runs and were blanked twice. The majors best pitching staff was torched for 29 runs in that span and the Cards were in the red 4.24 units. The Cards won four straight after that debacle, taking the finale against the Padres and the first three in Arizona by a combined score of 27-8. San Francisco’s run of games against the NL Central began on Aug. 17 when the Giants lost two of three in St. Louis. They also dropped three of four in Pittsburgh before returning home to split the first two with Chicago. Their 13-game stretch against the best in the NL ends after this series.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Michael Wacha (15-4, 2.80 ERA) breezed through the San Diego lineup to pick up his NL-leading 15th win of the season Sunday. He went six innings, allowing just five hits and one run while striking out three. If not for the 102 pitches, he certainly could have gone deeper into the game. Over his last five starts, Wacha has allowed a total of four earned runs going 4-0.
Facing the Giants for the first time since the 2014 NLDS, Wacha held the Giants to one run over seven innings in an Aug. 17 start. His only appearance at ATT Park was a forgettable one. Wacha allowed a walk-off three-run home run as the Giants clinched the NL Pennant last October.
Mike Leake (9-6, 3.44 ERA) missed 18 games with a hamstring strain in between two very solid starts in his first outings as a Giant. He allowed just one hit – a solo homer – over six innings of a no-decision at Pittsburgh on Saturday. He threw just 77 pitches in the game and has allowed three earned runs in 12.1 innings since coming over from the Reds.
In his final start with Cincinnati before the trade, Leake hurled eight scoreless frames at the Cardinals, giving up only four hits in a 4-0 win on July 28.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“That’s something, I think, really set the tone for our club today was the aggressiveness and taking the extra base. Those sorts of things we’ve been really talking a lot about since spring training. I think they have bought into it.” – Cards manager Mike Matheny on his team’s aggressive approach to running the bases
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
The Cardinals will be without All-Star closer Trevor Rosenthal for the final leg of this three-city road trip. Rosenthal is scheduled to fly back to St. Louis following the series in Arizona to be with his wife for the birth of their daughter. The Cards will place him on the paternity list, allowing them to add someone, presumable another reliever, to the roster for the series in San Francisco. The Cardinals will have several fill-in closer options over the weekend. Lefty Kevin Siegrist and righty Seth Maness have covered the ninth inning a handful of times this season when Rosenthal was unavailable. The Cards also have two former full-time closers in Steve Cishek and Jonathan Broxton to call on if needed.
PROP TALK
Tommy Pham has been a revelation for the Cardinals lately. Since being recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Aug. 17 to replace the injured Randal Grichuk in center field, Pham is hitting .407 with seven runs and five walks in seven games. Pham is hitting .292 on the road this season and has two three hit games in his last five, raising his average nearly 90 points during his seven-game run.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Cardinals are hoping they don’t have to face the Giants in the postseason again anytime soon. They can improve their chances by knocking off the defending champs. Sending the NL leader in wins and Cy Young candidate Wacha to the bump also gives them increased odds of a win. The Cardinals won his last five starts and seven of eight while scoring 42 runs in those games. St. Louis likes when Wacha toes the rubber. And you know the Cards are looking for some payback after losing three straight at ATT Park last October to end their season.
St. Louis 4, San Francisco 2
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