St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
STL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
CHC	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	—	3	6	0

Clay Holmes (4-5, 2.72 ERA) got the ball for Chicago against Matthew Liberatore (5-9, 5.01 ERA), and the numbers going in weren't close. First pitch was 1:20 PM CT under cloudy skies at Wrigley, with Holmes' sinker lined up against a Cardinals lineup that's been more miss than hit for most of the summer.

Show fees

FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Cardinals(61-60)

WWLWL

0

+1.5-117+170o7.5-115

Cubs(71-51)

LWWWL

3

-1.5+115-174u7.5+117

Best BetCubs -182

Postgame

This one graded out clean. Holmes and the Cubs' pitching staff did exactly what the ERA gap promised, blanking St. Louis on 3 hits while Chicago's bats needed only a 6th-inning burst to put it away. The bear case about the Cardinals' recent 2-game streak never showed up — St. Louis never got a runner into scoring position that mattered.

Pregame

Chicago's -182 price already reflects the class gap between a 71-51 club and a team still scrapping for a Wild Card spot, and this Cubs lineup has scored in bunches even on nights the pitching wasn't sharp. St. Louis is trotting out a starter with a 5.15 ERA who just got rocked for 9 hits in his last time out, and that's the kind of start that turns into a laugher fast. The Cardinals' plus-money price is tempting, but lay the number with Chicago until Liberatore proves he can hold a lead.

The Cardinals are down 3B Ramon Urias (elbow) and reliever Max Rajcic (Tommy John), both on the 60-day IL and out for the year. Chicago's injury list is longer but the headline is a returning arm: Edward Cabrera is set to be activated to start Sunday against St. Louis, a boost for a rotation that's also nursing Justin Steele and Cade Horton back from long-term injuries. Reliever Phil Maton, meanwhile, is done for the season with a partial patellar tendon tear.

Matthew Liberatore

(5-11)·5.04 ERA

Aug 8 vs Rockies

L

5.0IP

5ER

3K

2BB

94P

08/14 Lineup

Clay Holmes

(5-6)·2.49 ERA

Aug 8 @ Royals

L

4.0IP

4ER

1K

2BB

70P

08/14 Lineup

St. Louis spent the trade deadline selling, flipping Dustin May, JoJo Romero and Lars Nootbaar for prospects as the front office leaned into next year. Chicago spent it chasing Milwaukee, sitting second in the NL Central and holding the top NL Wild Card spot. That gap in stakes was always going to show up somewhere, and Friday it showed up on the scoreboard.

St. Louis Cardinals

(2)

• 60-Day-ILRamon Urias (3B) — Urias (elbows) has been sent to Triple-A Memphis to resume a rehab assignment, John Denton of Roundtable.io reports.08/04
• 60-Day-ILMax Rajcic (RP) — Rajcic revealed on his Instagram account Thursday that he recently underwent a right elbow UCL reconstruction.07/23

Chicago Cubs

(14)

• 10-Day-ILMatt Shaw (RF) — The Cubs announced Monday that Shaw recently resumed light hitting while rehabbing his sprained left hand in Arizona, MLB.com reports.08/05
• 15-Day-ILEdward Cabrera (SP) — The Cubs will activate Cabrera (hamstring) from the 15-day injured list and start him Sunday against the Cardinals, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.08/14
• 15-Day-ILPhil Maton (RP) — Maton has been diagnosed with a partial patellar tendon tear in his right knee, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/12
• 15-Day-ILDaniel Palencia (RP) — Palencia (elbow) is slated to begin a rehab assignment Wednesday at Triple-A Iowa, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/05
• 15-Day-ILGavin Hollowell (RP) — The Cubs placed Hollowell on the 15-day injured list Friday with right shoulder inflammation, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.07/31
• 15-Day-ILHoby Milner (RP) — Milner (abdomen) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, tossing a scoreless inning.07/30
• 60-Day-ILBen Brown (RP) — Brown (neck) threw a bullpen session at Wrigley Field on Friday, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.08/14
• 60-Day-ILShelby Miller (RP) — Miller (elbow) began a rehab assignment Sunday at Triple-A Iowa, striking out two batters while allowing one run on two hits and no walks.08/09
• 60-Day-ILRiley Martin (RP) — Manager Craig Counsell announced July 8 that Martin (elbow) has resumed a throwing program at the Cubs' facility in Arizona, MLB.com reports.08/06
• 60-Day-ILHunter Harvey (RP) — Harvey (triceps/shoulder) threw a bullpen session Saturday at the Cubs' facility in Arizona, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/05
• 60-Day-ILJustin Steele (SP) — Steele (elbow) will throw from flat ground and then toss 20 pitches off a mound Saturday, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.07/31
• 60-Day-ILPorter Hodge (RP) — The Cubs transferred Hodge (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILCade Horton (SP) — The Cubs transferred Horton (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILTyler Austin (1B) — The Cubs placed Austin (knee) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08

It wasn't competitive. The Cardinals managed just 3 hits and never got a runner past second, while the Cubs broke it open with a 3-run 6th inning and left it there. Holmes and Chicago's bullpen did the rest, needing exactly one big inning against a St. Louis offense that had shown some life against Colorado and Philadelphia earlier in the week.

St. Louis Cardinals

(61-60)

Aug 12Wvs Phillies7-1

Aug 11Wvs Phillies2-0

Aug 10Lvs Phillies5-6

Aug 9Wvs Rockies7-4

Aug 8Lvs Rockies6-8

Chicago Cubs

(71-51)

Aug 13L@ Nationals0-7

Aug 12W@ Nationals12-6

Aug 11W@ Nationals8-6

Aug 9W@ Royals10-2

Aug 8L@ Royals3-6

Liberatore had already seen this lineup once before and it hadn't gone well — he got knocked around for 8 hits and 3 earned runs in just 3.2 innings the last time these two teams met. Friday was more of the same, and it puts the Cardinals in a hole to start a series they need to salvage against a Cubs team that's not letting up.