National League Preview from The Sports Network
Wednesday, April 25th
(All times Eastern)
St. Louis Cardinals (11-7) at Chicago Cubs (6-12), 2:20 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: St. Louis - Lance Lynn (3-0, 1.42)
Chicago - Chris Volstad (0-2, 6.19)
(Sports Network) - Right-hander Lance Lynn aims for a second defeat of Chicago
in 11 days today when the St. Louis Cardinals visit the Cubs and try to
salvage a win in the finale of a three-game series at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs won their second straight in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, when
Alfonso Soriano hit a game-ending RBI single in the 10th inning for a 3-2 win
that ended the Cardinals' run of 13 consecutive winning series.
Tony Campana sparked the winning rally with a one-out single off Fernando
Salas (0-1). Campana then stole second in a close call that led to the first
ejection for Cardinals manager Mike Matheny.
After Starlin Castro struck out, Bryan LaHair was walked intentionally before
Soriano hit a full-count pitch off second baseman Tyler Greene and into the
outfield. Campana scored easily to give the Cubs their second consecutive
dramatic victory against the Cardinals
James Russell (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning to get the win.
A 6-foot-5 native of Brownsburg, Ind., Lynn was a 5-1 winner over the Cubs in
St. Louis on April 14 after allowing a run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings with
five strikeouts.
He pitched two shutout innings in relief last season against Chicago and has a
1.23 earned run average in 7 1/3 career innings against the Cubs.
Lynn allowed a single earned run in each of his other two starts this season -
defeating Milwaukee and Pittsburgh - and has combined to give up just 10 hits
and three runs in 19 overall innings, limiting opponents to a .159 batting
average.
He made 18 appearances - two starts - with the Cardinals in an initial major-
league call-up last season and was 1-1 with a 3.02 ERA.
He's opposed in the final game by 6-foot-8 righty Chris Volstad, who's still
seeking his first win in a Cubs uniform after an offseason trade that sent
fiery Venezuelan Carlos Zambrano to Miami.
Volstad was on the losing end of the April 14 game against Lynn and the
Cardinals and, while losing twice and getting a no-decision, has surrendered
18 hits and 11 earned runs in 16 mound innings with Chicago.
The Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. native was a 12-game winner for the Marlins in
2010 before sliding to 5-13 in 29 starts with them last season.
In five career starts against the Cardinals, he's 2-2 with a 4.99 ERA.
The Cardinals took two of three from the Cubs in St. Louis in mid-April and
have won 11 of the past 18 meetings overall.
04/25 10:49:12 ET

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