By Chris Brown / STL Baseball Today | @cbrown_STLBBT | June 22, 2016, 1:14 pm CT
Updated at 5:03 pm CT:
Backed by a 12th consecutive quality start from the rotation by Michael Wacha and an offense which continued to fare well against Jake Arieta, the Cardinals won their eighth consecutive road game Wednesday afternoon by a score of 7-2, sweeping the Cubs in a three-game series at Wrigley Field for the first time since May 1988.
FINAL: St. Louis Cardinals 7 (38-33) at Chicago Cubs 2 (47-23)
W-L: Michael Wacha (3-7, 4.41 ERA) – Jake Arrieta (11-2, 1.74)
STARTERS:
- RHP Michael Wacha: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 106 pitches (68 strikes)
- RHP Jake Arrieta: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 106 pitches (64 strikes)
TOP PERFORMERS:
- SS Aledmys Diaz: 3-4, 2 R, HR (9), 2 RBI, BB
- 2B Matt Carpenter: 1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
RECAP: MLB.com, Associated Press (via STL Today)
GAME NOTES:
#STLCards have:
• Won 8 straight road gms.
• Swept the Cubs in 3-gm series at Wrigley for 1st time since '88.
• Had 12 consec. QSs from SPs.— STL Baseball Today (@STLBBToday) June 22, 2016
UP NEXT: The redbirds have an off-day on Thursday before kicking off a weekend series in Seattle on Friday night. First pitch is slated for 9:10 pm CT, and Carlos Martinez (7-5, 3.17 ERA) will oppose Wade LeBlanc, who’s making his first start of the season.
***GAME PREVIEW***
The Cardinals will have their work cut out for them as they look to sweep the series against their division rivals at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. The Cubs will send 2015 Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta to the mound as the right-hander looks to become a 12 game winner, while the redbirds will counter with Michael Wacha, who’s looking to end a career-high string of seven consecutive losses.
MATCHUP: St. Louis Cardinals (37-33, -10.5 in NL Central) at Chicago Cubs (47-22, +10.5 in NL Central)
GAME INFO: 1:20 pm CT first pitch from Wrigley Field | Fox Sports Midwest, KMOX 1120/CRN
STARTERS: Michael Wacha (2-7, 4.56) | RHP Jake Arrieta (11-1, 1.74 ERA)
LINEUPS:
- Cardinals: Carpenter 2B, Diaz SS, Adams 1B, Piscotty RF, Peralta 3B, Moss LF, Molina C, Wong CF, Wacha SP
- Cubs: Coghlan LF, Heyward RF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Zobrist 2B, Montero C, Baez SS, Szczur CF, Arrieta SP
PREVIEW: MLB.com, Associated Press (via STL Today)
GAME NOTES:
- The Cardinals posted their seventh consecutive road victory Tuesday night, their longest road winning streak since an eight game stretch in 1982. (Cardinals Dept. of Communications)
- Cardinals starters have now worked six or more innings in 11 consecutive games dating back to June 9. (Mark Tomasik / Twitter)
