The Dodgers have lost 19 of their last 23 regular season games in St. Louis, and in trying to win their first game of the series today all they have to do is do something that hasn't yet been done this year: beat Adam Wainwright at home.
Wainwright has made nine starts at Busch Stadium this season, and has won them all. He has a 1.43 ERA at home. In fact, dating back to last season, Wainwright has made 24 straight quality starts at home. Over that stretch of 24 starts, Wainwright has averaged 7.41 innings per home start and has an ERA of 1.57 with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.02.
Wainwright allowed eight runs in 2 2/3 innings in his first start against the Dodgers in 2007, and since then has allowed just 10 runs in 45 innings over six starts against them, including the playoffs.
Hiroki Kuroda has struggled of late, allowing 14 runs in 14 innings over his last three starts. However, after allowing four runs in the second inning last Wednesday against the Marlins, he allowed just two hits to the final 20 batters he faced. Kuroda is working on nine days rest today, and in his career is 5-2 with a 1.63 ERA in 10 starts when he gets six or more days rest.
Kuroda has faced the Cardinals twice in his career, and the Dodgers won both games. He allowed a total of two runs in 13 innings, including seven scoreless innings at Dodger Stadium on June 8.
The Dodgers game with the Giants in San Francisco on Sunday, August 1 has been moved to 5 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN, per Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times.
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Game Time: 1:10 p.m.
TV: Fox