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Cubs-Cardinals Preview

Sep 15, 2010 - 5:09 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (63-81) at St. Louis (74-68), 8:15 p.m. EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals expect to have Albert Pujols back in their lineup after the slugger sat out a rare game due to tendinitis in his left elbow.

Pujols has battered Cubs pitching this year, but he'll be squaring off against Carlos Zambrano, who has been marvelous since returning from the restricted list.

With Zambrano looking to win his fifth straight start, Pujols tries to help the Cardinals avoid being swept at home by Chicago for the first time in more than two decades in Wednesday night's finale at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis (74-69) played without Pujols for just the second time this season Tuesday, and managed six hits in losing 7-2 to the Cubs. Xavier Nady had three hits and three RBIs as part of a 15-hit attack for the Cubs (64-81), who have outscored the Cardinals 12-3 while taking the first two games in St. Louis.

Pujols, who leads the NL with 39 homers, had a cortisone injection Monday night, and said before Tuesday's game that he anticipates being back in the lineup for the finale.

This seems like it would bode well for the Cardinals, who have lost 20 of 29 and are trying to avoid being swept by Chicago in St. Louis for the first time since June 10-12, 1988. Pujols is hitting .314 with six home runs and 10 RBIs in 10 games against the Cubs this season and .412 (7 for 17) with a homer and three doubles against Zambrano since 2008.

Zambrano (8-6, 3.88 ERA), however, is suddenly pitching like an All-Star.

Zambrano is 5-0 with a 1.60 ERA in seven starts since returning to the rotation after attending anger-management counseling, knocking nearly two runs off his ERA from 5.61. He's posted a 0.95 ERA in winning his last four outings, and is trying to win five consecutive starts for the first time since winning six in a row July 2-30, 2006.

"I know he pitches with passion and emotions and that's OK, but he's been as calm and as good as I've seen him," interim manager Mike Quade said. "I've enjoyed watching him for a lot of years, but this stretch has been something special."

In Friday's 4-0 win over Milwaukee, Zambrano gave up three singles in 8 2-3 innings, had three hits of his own and drove in a run.

"Of all the good starts he has made recently, that was the best," Quade said. "He had the whole package."

Zambrano's first victory since rejoining the rotation came in St. Louis on Aug. 14, when he allowed two runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 3-2 win. The three-time All-Star is 2-0 with a 3.57 ERA in his last three starts against the Cardinals and 6-1 with a 1.27 ERA in 11 career starts in St. Louis.

The Cardinals counter with Chris Carpenter (15-6, 3.09), who was tagged for eight runs - six earned - and eight hits in five innings in Friday's 8-6 loss in Atlanta. The right-hander is 2-3 with a 3.96 ERA in his last six starts after going 13-3 with a 2.89 ERA in his first 25.

This stretch started when he opposed Zambrano and the Cubs last month, and was saddled with a loss after giving up three runs and six hits in six innings. Despite that defeat, Carpenter is 2-1 with a 1.00 ERA in six home starts against the Cubs since 2005.