The high total reflects yesterday's slugfest where the Cubs hit a franchise-record eight home runs against the Cardinals.
Game Overview
The Cardinals enter Saturday's matchup reeling from an 11-3 beatdown where they surrendered a franchise-record eight home runs to the Cubs, including Michael Busch's three-homer explosion. St. Louis has now dropped four straight and sits 6.5 games behind the first-place Cubs in the NL Central. Chicago has been dominant at Wrigley Field (29-15) and is riding high after their historic power display. The season series stands at 3-2 in favor of the Cubs, with today's pitching matchup featuring a battle of lefties that could determine if the Cardinals can stop their slide or if the Cubs continue pulling away in the division race.
Key Matchups & Analysis
- Liberatore vs. Pomeranz: Southpaw Showdown
Matthew Liberatore (6-6, 3.70 ERA) has been a bright spot in the Cardinals rotation, posting solid numbers with 76 strikeouts against just 17 walks across 92.1 innings. His 1.16 WHIP shows he's keeping traffic off the basepaths. Meanwhile, Drew Pomeranz (2-1, 0.00 ERA) has been virtually untouchable in limited action, not allowing an earned run across 23.1 innings while striking out 23 batters with a 0.90 WHIP. This pristine ERA isn't sustainable, but Pomeranz clearly has found something special since joining the Cubs. - Cubs' Power Surge vs. Cardinals' Pitching
The Cubs rank second in the NL with 133 home runs, highlighted by yesterday's historic outburst. Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong combined for five homers in the series opener, and Chicago has hit multiple homers in six of their last eight games. The Cardinals' pitching staff has now allowed 88 home runs this season, and their bullpen has shown vulnerability with a 4.92 ERA over the last 10 games. This power differential could prove decisive again today. - Wrigley Field Factor
Despite its reputation, Wrigley Field actually ranks as the fifth-lowest park for run scoring this season with a 0.898 runs factor. However, the Cubs have figured out how to leverage their home field advantage, going 29-15 at the Friendly Confines. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are a sub-.500 road team at 21-25 and have particularly struggled within the division away from Busch Stadium. - Offensive Production Gap
The run production discrepancy between these teams is stark – the Cubs are averaging 5.40 runs per game compared to the Cardinals' 4.56. Chicago's .775 OPS towers over St. Louis's .712, while the Cubs' 1.51 home runs per game nearly doubles the Cardinals' 0.99. With the Cardinals managing just one hit through eight innings yesterday, their offensive struggles are becoming a serious concern.
