Lance Lynn makes just his fourth major league start and will try to follow his strong beginning to 2012 when the Cardinals resume their weekend series against the Chicago Cubs.
The Cardinals added Lynn to the rotation due to an injury to Chris Carpenter, and so far the 24-year-old right-hander hasn't disappointed. Lynn allowed two hits and a run over 6 2/3 innings and logged eight strikeouts in a 9-3 win at Milwaukee on Sunday. He will face the Cubs for just the second time in his career.
It's been a strong start to the season for a pitcher who missed the final 46 games of 2011 due to a strained left oblique. Lynn, though, was added to the roster for the NLCS and World Series.
Chicago will counter on the mound with Chris Volstad, who made his Cubs debut on April 9 vs. the Brewers and allowed three runs over five innings. He's 2-1 with a 5.11 ERA in his career against the Cardinals.
More importantly, Volstad is trying to snap a 12-start winless stretch that goes back to July 17 of last season.
Yesterday, Bryan LaHair hit a grand slam and Ian Stewart added a three-run homer as Chicago won 9-5, spoiling the home opener for the defending World Series champions.
"I knew I hit it good, but I haven't played in this park that much so I wasn't quite sure," LaHair said. "When it snuck over it was good."
Starlin Castro finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored for the Cubs, who have won two in a row since a three-game losing streak.
Jeff Samardzija (2-0) did just enough to pick up the win, allowing five runs and 10 hits with five strikeouts over five innings.
Matt Carpenter collected two hits and drove in two runs for St. Louis, which has lost two in a row. Yadier Molina, David Freese and Jon Jay added an RBI each in defeat.
Adam Wainwright (0-2) lasted just three innings, charged with seven hits and eight runs in his first home start since September of 2010.
"We're seen so many positive things from [Wainwright] this year, he's been so far ahead of what all the expectations were [after missing the 2011 season due to Tommy John surgery]," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Today was just one of those games where you have to step back, gather yourself and figure out what you have to do differently."
The Cards were 10-5 against the Cubs last season.
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