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Cubs, Cardinals close set in St. Louis

Jun 20, 2013 - 2:31 PM (Sports Network) - Towering right-hander Scott Feldman faces the St. Louis Cardinals for the first time in his major-league career on Thursday night when the Chicago Cubs head to Busch Stadium to wrap up a four-game series with their National League Central Division rivals.

Feldman, who signed a free-agent deal with the Cubs after making 29 appearances last season with Texas, lost each of his initial three starts with the Cubs through mid-April.

He defeated Miami, 4-2, for his first win on April 26 and has won six of eight decisions in his last 10 starts while trimming his earned run average to 3.05.

He was a 5-2 winner over the New York Mets at Citi Field in his most recent start after allowing just two hits and a run in seven innings.

Feldman is 2-3 in seven road starts this season and the Cubs are 7-3 in his last 10 outings.

For the Cardinals, right-hander Lance Lynn makes his 15th start of the season in search of his 10th victory. He reached win No. 9 on June 15 in Miami after scattering seven runs on nine hits in five innings of a 13-7 triumph.

St. Louis has won each of his last five starts while he's combined to allow 14 runs in 29 hits in 31 innings.

Lynn last faced the Cubs on May 7 in Chicago and lost a 2-1 decision after giving up four hits and two runs in seven innings. He is 5-0 in seven home starts this season and 4-1 in six career meetings against Chicago.

On Wednesday, Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer in the sixth to back seven solid innings from Jake Westbrook and the Cardinals beat the Cubs, 4-1.

Pete Kozma and Allen Craig added an RBI apiece for the Cardinals, who saw Westbrook (3-2) give up one unearned run on two hits.

"I think once again, it's just like anybody else, when they feel good, they find that rhythm, they find that release point, and he had it," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said.

Darwin Barney knocked in the lone run for the Cubs, who fell to 3-3 on a seven-game road trip.

Chicago starter Edwin Jackson (3-9) allowed four runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. He fell to 1-4 lifetime against St. Louis.

The Cubs and Cardinals split a two-game series at Wrigley Field last month.