A 19-game winner in 2009, St. Louis' Adam Wainwright could be headed for even more success this season.
The right-hander looks for his third straight win while trying to help the Cardinals bounce back from a 20-inning loss in the finale of a three-game set with the visiting New York Mets on Sunday night.
Wainwright was one of the few Cardinals who didn't play in Saturday's 2-1 loss, a game that lasted 6 hours, 53 minutes -- the longest in the majors since Colorado beat San Diego 2-1 in 22 innings on April 17, 2008.
The contest was scoreless through 18 innings before the teams each added a run the 19th. The Mets (4-7) scored both their runs on sacrifice flies off Joe Mather -- the second Cardinals position player who was forced to pitch -- to even the series.
Starters Johan Santana for the Mets and St. Louis rookie Jaime Garcia were stellar Saturday, but after each club unloaded its bullpens, Wainwright and New York's John Maine will likely be needed to go deep in this one.
An NL Cy Young Award contender last season when he went 19-8 with a 2.63 ERA, Wainwright (2-0, 1.20 ERA) has carried that success over to 2010. He's allowed two runs and struck out 13 in 15 innings.
Wainwright gave up six hits and struck out seven in eight innings of a 5-0 home win over Houston on Monday.
The Cardinals (7-4) are certainly grateful for Wainwright's success, and hope it continues when he makes his first start against New York.
Wainwright has allowed four runs in two innings of relief versus the Mets, but hasn't faced them since 2006. He recorded a pair of saves, including one in Game 7 against New York in the 2006 NL championship series.
Maine (0-1, 13.50), who was used as a pinch-runner in the 13th inning Saturday, hasn't fared nearly as well as Wainwright. The right-hander has given up 12 runs in eight innings over his two starts.
He allowed eight runs in three innings of an 11-3 loss at Colorado on Tuesday.
Facing the Cardinals might not help him get back on track. Maine is 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA against St. Louis, and he's allowed 10 runs in 9 2/3 innings while losing his last two appearances at Busch Stadium.
St. Louis' Albert Pujols, who went 2 for 5 with four walks and scored on Yadier Molina's two-out single off Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez on Saturday, is 5 for 11 with two home runs and 11 RBIs against Maine.
Angel Pagan had three hits for New York on Saturday, while Jose Reyes, Jason Bay and Jeff Francoeur went a combined 0 for 21. Reyes, who drove in the winning run, is hitting .171, and Bay .222 this season.
Bay, however, is 6 for 17 versus Wainwright.
T-Cobb's Prediction:
Cardinals 7, Mets 4--Wainwright keeps just getting better and better!!
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