Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals Preview and Predictions 09-16-2018 in MLB
MLB Previews 15th September 2018 by Gracenote
The Los Angeles Dodgers have won five National League West titles in a row and are trying to thump their way to a sixth straight behind a homer-happy lineup led by Yasiel Puig. After taking over the division lead by one-half game over Colorado and knocking St. Louis out of the second wild card, the Dodgers go for a four-game sweep of the host Cardinals on Sunday night.
St. Louis is indeed proving to be the Gateway to the West for the surging Dodgers, who steamrolled the Cardinals 17-4 on Saturday as Puig clubbed three home runs to give him five blasts in the past two games. Cody Bellinger had to take a backseat to Puig despite going 3-for-5 with a homer and six RBIs, giving the Dodgers two players with at least six RBIs in the same game for the first time in 59 years. While Los Angeles has homered in 23 straight games to move within one of tying the franchise record (Brooklyn, 1953), the Cardinals have matched a season worst with their third four-game losing streak -- all coming at Busch Stadium. The pitching staff continues to be a culprit down the stretch for St. Louis, which has permitted at least four runs in 12 of 14 games this month.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Ross Stripling (8-3, 2.61 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (1-3, 4.70)
Stripling made his first start since coming off the disabled list Wednesday at Cincinnati, lasting only 3 1/3 innings and allowing one run on three hits. He will be making his eighth consecutive appearance on the road, where he owns a 4-3 record and 2.86 ERA in 18 outings (11 starts). Kolten Wong has a pair of triples in three at-bats against Stripling, who is 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA versus St. Louis.
Wainwright will be making his second start since spending nearly four months on the DL with an elbow injury. The 37-year-old was not especially sharp in his five-inning stint against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday, giving up four runs and seven hits, including a pair of home runs. Wainwright is 5-5 with a 2.69 ERA versus Los Angeles but is 0-2 with a 5.74 ERA in three starts at home this year.
WALK-OFFS
1. Puig, who is 9-for-15 in the last four games, is the fourth Dodger since 2000 with multiple homers in back to back games.
2. Cardinals rookie 1B Patrick Wisdom supplied all his team's runs Saturday with his first career grand slam.
3. Dodgers 3B Justin Turner was hit by a pitch on the left wrist Saturday but X-rays were negative.
PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Cardinals 4