Cardinals’ Leake finds comfort in facing Cubs
Unlike other pitchers on the St. Louis staff, Mike Leake doesn’t possess otherworldly stuff. So when he issues an uncommonly high number of walks, things can get ugly.
That’s exactly what happened last week, as the righty gave a season-high four free passes to the Reds in a 7-4 loss. The Cardinals can ill afford to have repeat the same routine in tonight’s series finale vs. the Cubs. Handicappers at online sports book BetDSI prefer the NL Central leaders as it is, while Mike Matheny’s bunch enters Wrigley Field as a +185 underdog. The over/under run figure sits at nine.
Joe Maddon’s players saw their 11-game winning streak come to an end yesterday, with the Redbirds using a six-run explosion in the eighth inning to secure an 8-4 victory. Center fielder Randal Grichuk, in his second contest since being recalled from Class AAA Memphis, popped a grand slam off normally reliable reliever Joe Smith. Brandon Moss and Jedd Gyorko added solo bombs for the visitors, who lead the senior circuit with 160 clouts.
With John Lackey on the hill in a few hours, don’t expect the same type of fireworks show. Chicago’s veteran righty holds a 1-1 record with a 2.70 ERA in three assignments vs. his former squad. He has posted four straight quality starts, too, shaking off a brief rough period immediately before the All-Star break.
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Leake’s still searching for his footing in Year 1 with St. Louis. Fortunately, he relishes facing the Cubbies. The Arizona State product boasts a 9-3 mark with a 1.12 WHIP in 20 career meetings with the franchise. That’s no small sample size, giving us ample reason to anticipate a low-scoring affair on the North Side.
SUNDAY MLB FREE PICK: CARDINALS/CUBS UNDER 9 RUNS