Cubs vs. Cardinals: Will The Long Ball Be A Factor At Wrigley Field Tonight?
CHICAGO (CBS) -- With the forecast calling for winds blowing out Monday evening at Wrigley Field, fans logically could expect a few shots into --or even over --the bleachers.
At game time between the Cubs and Cardinals tonight (5:07 p.m. first pitch), winds are expected to be blowing from the southwest at around 20 miles per hour, especially favoring balls hit to right field.
Looking at the starting pitchers for Game 3, the winds would seem to favor the Cubs.
In the past three years against the Cubs, Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha has surrendered six home runs to Cubs players, including two each by Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo.
This season, Wacha has given up 19 homers, tied for 54th in the MLB. That translates to 0.94 homers per nine innings.
Cubs ace Jake Arrieta hasn't given up many runs of any sort this year. Over his last 10 starts, including the wild-card game win over Pittsburgh, Arrieta has gone 9-0 with a 0.24 ERA and .132 opponents' average, according to MLB.com.
In the past five years, he has given up only one home run against a Cardinals' player (Mark Reynolds). It was Reynolds who shattered an apartment window during batting practice on Sunday.
For the season, Arrieta has allowed 10 home run balls, which ranks 158th in the majors, translating to 0.39 homers per nine innings.
For the season against the Cubs, Wacha has a 6.86 ERA in four starts. Arrieta's ERA against the Cardinals stands at 2.42 in four starts.