Sputtering Cards try to spoil Cubs' October hopes

Sep 14, 2007, 15:28 GMT

- The St. Louis Cardinals hope a return home can help halt their lengthy losing streak, as they begin an 11-game homestand tonight with the first of four straight games against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis lost all seven games of its recent road trip and hasn't won since a home victory over Pittsburgh on September 6. The losing streak has diminished the club's once strong playoff chances, as the Cardinals are now five games back of first-place Chicago in the National League Central standings, making this a big series for both clubs.

On Thursday, a Jim Edmonds' run-scoring single in the ninth inning brought St. Louis within a run of Cincinnati, but the Cardinals couldn't get closer and fell to the Reds, 5-4.

Albert Pujols had a pair of sacrifice flies and David Eckstein went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in the loss. Cards starter Kip Wells (6-17) was tagged for five runs on 10 hits and six walks over 4 2/3 innings.

Adam Wainwright will start for the Cardinals tonight and is 3-1 with a 1.71 earned run average over his last five starts. However, he took a loss his last time out on Friday despite allowing three runs -- just two earned -- on six hits over six innings against Arizona. He fell to 13-10 with a 3.75 ERA on the year.

The right-hander is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in 12 lifetime games (three starts) versus the Cubs. All three of those starts have come this season and Wainwright has an 11.66 ERA in that span.

Tonight's starter for Chicago, Carlos Zambrano, halted a career-high five-game losing streak with his last start on Saturday. Against the Pirates, the fiery right-hander allowed one run on two hits and five walks in six innings of work. He also fanned eight to win his first game since signing a big long-term contract extension last month.

The victory improved Zambrano to 15-12 with a 4.26 earned run average this year. His career high for wins in a season is 16, set in 2004 and 2006.

The Venezuelan defeated the Cardinals on July 24 and is 7-4 with a 2.45 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) lifetime against them.

The Cubs have won three of four and moved a half-game over idle Milwaukee for first place in the Central with a 6-2 victory over Houston on Thursday. Aramis Ramirez drove in three runs and hit one of four Chicago home runs in the victory.

Alfonso Soriano, Cliff Floyd and Daryle Ward also went deep for the Cubs.

Steve Trachsel (1-2) allowed just two earned runs -- a pair of solo homers -- on seven hits in gaining his first National League win. In five innings, Trachsel struck out four and walked just three.

The Cubs have won eight of 12 against the Cardinals this year, and are 29-18 against the club since the start of the 2005 season.

© 2007 The Sports Network