SERIES PREVIEW: Cards v. Phillies

Tonight’s lineups, courtesy of Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Cardinals:

Lopez 3b

Jay rf

Pujols 1b

Rasmus cf

Craig lf

Schumaker 2b

Molina c

Hawksworth p

Ryan ss

 

Philadelphia:

Rollins ss

Polanco 3b

Ibanez lf

Howard 1b

Werth rf

Victorino cf

Ruiz c

Valdez 2b

Kendrick p

The Cards are playing the Phillies at the right time, though both teams have been plagued by injuries this year. After dropping three of four to the Chicago Cubs, the Phillies are likely craving wins. But the Cards have momentum coming off a four game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers this past weekend. Plus, the pitching matchups favor the Cardinals: after Blake Hawksworth’s start tonight, the Phillies will have to face the Cards’ big three of Jaime Garcia, Chris Carpenter, and Adam Wainwright. Roy Halladay started the final game in Chicago on Sunday, so the Cardinals will not have to face him at all.

I say the Cards take three of four in this series.

For more on the Cards’ sweep of the Dodgers, take a look at my column over at InsideSTL.

 

–Chris