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Cardinals-Cubs Preview

May 30, 2010 - 1:18 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

St. Louis (28-21) at Chicago (23-26), 2:20 p.m. EDT

It's been over three years since the St. Louis Cardinals won a series at Wrigley Field. Even another strong start from Adam Wainwright against Chicago may not be enough to change that if their offense continues to struggle.

Coming off another poor effort at the plate, the Cardinals look to bounce back in the decisive finale of their weekend series with the rival Cubs on Sunday.

After scoring 15 runs in its previous two games, St. Louis (28-22) was stymied by Chicago's Carlos Silva as the Cardinals were shut out for the second time in five games, 5-0 on Saturday.

St. Louis, 2-3 on a six-game trip, has lost four series and split one at Wrigley since taking two of three there April 20-22, 2007.

The Cardinals, who recorded five runs and six hits in the first inning of a 7-1 win over Chicago (24-26) in Friday's opener, were limited to four hits Saturday. Matt Holliday had two for the Cardinals, who've scored three runs and hit .198 in the three losses on the trip.

"There isn't anything new about the offense so you can quit asking me for comments on the offense," said manager Tony La Russa, who credited Silva after he struck out 11 in seven innings. "The point is (Silva) pitched well. I give him credit."

Holliday is 6 for 12 in his last three games and batting .351 in his last 10 against the Cubs.

It might not take much, but the Cardinals hope to give Wainwright (6-3, 2.38 ERA) more support than his last start while he looks to continue his recent dominance over the Cubs, winners in nine of 13.

Wainwright is 4-0 with a 2.44 ERA in his last seven starts versus the Cubs after going 0-3 with an 8.72 ERA in his first four.

Though Wainwright's lost two of his last three starts, he has an impressive 3.15 ERA during that span. The right-hander allowed a second-inning homer to Jerry Hairston Jr., and three other hits while striking out a season-high 12 in seven innings of a 1-0 loss at San Diego on Tuesday.

"I was commanding all my pitches, pretty much, getting ahead in the count, making them swing at my stuff," Wainwright told the Cardinals' official website. "Doing that you're going to be pretty effective."

Mike Fontenot is 6 for 17 against Wainwright and could be back in the lineup after he tripled twice and drove in a run Saturday for the Cubs, who are in position to win a third straight series.

After Silva was dominant while improving to 7-0, Ryan Dempster (3-4, 3.31) looks to give the Cubs a second solid outing in this contest.

"As a team, you can accomplish a lot when guys start to do everything - the little things, as well as the big things," said Dempster, who allowed three hits and struck out seven in eight innings of a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday to snap a personal four-game skid.

"He's been great all year," first baseman Derrek Lee said of Dempster, who recorded his first victory since April 23.

The right-hander is 4-5 with a 4.44 ERA in 15 career starts against the Cardinals.