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The series has an off day Monday but will resume Tuesday evening. Lance Lynn is scheduled to start for the Cardinals, and Jake Arrieta takes the ball for Chicago. The game begins at 8:05 p.m. EDT.
W: Adam Wainwright (1-0, 0.00 ERA)-- 6 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 6 K, 0 BB
L: Jon Lester (0-1, 6.23) -- 4.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
S: Trevor Rosenthal (1)
The final score is St. Louis Cardinals 3, Chicago Cubs 0.
Rosenthal strikes out the side 1-2-3. Alcantara swung and missed a high fastball. That ends the game.
Arismendy Alcantara pinch hit and walked in the seventh and stayed in the game.
Olt is 0 for 3 with a K. Make that 0 for 4 with 2K. He chased a high fastball out of the strike zone for Out #2.
Strike 3 called on a 98-mph fastball on the corner at the knees. No chance at that one for Coghlan.
Coghlan leads off. He is 1 for 3 and nealry put one put last time up.
Bourjos stays in the game in center. Jay moves to left. Holliday is out. Trevor Rosenthal is in for the save.
Bottom of the 9th; Last chance for the Cubs. They will send up Coghlan, Olt, and Alcantara.
Peralta skies one VERY high to center field. Fowler is there to retire the side. A walk and a man left. The Cubs have one more chance, trailing 3-0.
Peralta is up. Bourjos steals second and advances to third on Montero's overthrow.
With a full count, Holliday checks his swing at a ball in the dirt to draw the walk. Runner at first with two outs. Peter Bourjos will pinch run.
Matt Holliday is 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. Rondon is throwing some serious smoke.
Soft line drive to Castro up the middle for Out #2.
Carpenter flies out to Coghlan in deep left field. One away for Heyward, who is 3 for 4. He has had a terrific Cardinals debut.
Carpenter is 2 for 4.
Hector Rondon is the new Cubs pitcher. He saved 29 games last season. The pitchers of record are Wainwright and Lester barring a Cubs comeback.
Top 9. Due up for St. Louis is the top of the order: Carpenter, Heyward, and Holliday. They are a combine 7 for 12 with 3 RBI and 2 R.
Castro chases one in the dirt for strike three. That ends the inning. The Cubs AGAIN get a man on but leave him. We go to the ninth, and the Cardinals loead it 3-0.
Castro bats with a man on first and two outs. He is 1 for 3 and has hit the ball hard another time.
Ball four to Rizzo puts him aboard.
Rizzo has struck out twice: 0 for 3.
Soler is 0 for 3 with a K. He grounds weakly to Matt Adams at first, who takes it unassisted. Two outs for Rizzo.
Fowler takes strike three to lead off the eighth. That is not what the Cubs need at this point. One out.
Jordan Walden is now pitching for the Cardinals. Walden has that funky delievery in which he is completely off the ground just before letting the ball go.
Bottom 8: The Cubs have the top of the order -- Fowler, Soler, and Rizzo -- coming up.
With a full count, Reynolds takes strike three. It looked inside, but the pitchers have gotten that call all night. End of inning. No runs, but the Cardinals lead 3-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth.
Mark Reynolds pinch hits for Carlos Martinez.
Jay lines one into right. It hits in front of a diving Soler and carems off him. Jay takes second for a double.
Kolten Wong grounds to Alcantara at second for Out #2. Jon Jay hits with two outs and the bases empty.
Strop strikes out Molina to open the eighth.
T8: Pedro Strop is pitching for the Cubs. Yadier Molina leads off. Alcantara stays in the game at second base; La Stella is out. Strop is in the ninth spot.
After seven, St. Louis still leads 3-0.
La Stella grounds out to shortstop to retire the side. The Cubs are 0 for 13 with RISP.
Montero strikes out swinging for Out #2.
A Passed ball allows Alcantara to take second base. Molina was crossed up, and the ball tipped off his mitt.
Alcantara walks to bring up Montero.
The pinch hitter is Arismendy Alcantara.
Wainwright's line: 6 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 6 K, 0 BB. He kept the Cubs off balance, especially with runners in scoring position.
Olt grounds to first on the first pitch. Martinez covers for the first out.
Carlos Martinez is now pitching for St. Louis.
Bottom 7: Cubs will send up Olt, Ramirez (pinch hitter coming), and Montero.
Joey and Jerry Banks (Ernie's sons) are singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Good thing they have name recognition!!! Ernie could sing it, and fans loved hearing it from him. His sons? Not so much!
Adams pops harmlessly to Castro in short left field to left field.
Jhonny Peralta singles up the middle. La Stella dove and caught it but could not get Peralta at first. Matt Adams is now up.
Holliday strikes out for Out #2.
Matt Holliday is 2 for 3 with 2 RBI.
Heyward drills the first pitch right at Rizzo for the first out.
Neil Ramirez is the new Cubs pitcher. Motte had a perfect sixth inning.
Wainwright is getting high-fives and hugs, so he may be done for the night. The Cubs are not complaining.
Top 7: Due up for St. Louis: Heyward, Holliday, Peralta.
That ball is long gone in warmer weather, but the thick air knocked it down. This may be it for shall Wainright. We shall see.
Coghlan gives fans a thrill, but the ball lands in Heyward's glove right in front of the wall. Side retired, and the Cubs do not score.
Chris Coghlan up with a 1-1 count. Wainwright has now thrown 100 pitches.
Starlin Castro singles to center with two outs. Maybe this could spark a two-out rally?
Rizzo grounds weakly to second baseman Wong for the second out.
Rizzo has struck out twice, each time with a runner in scoring position. The Cubs are 0 for 11 with RISP.
GREAT sliding catch by Matt Holliday to rob Soler of a hit just in front of the warning track. One out for Rizzo.
Soler is 0 for 2. He leads off. Two relievers up for St. Louis as Wainwright is approaching 90 pitches.
B6: Due up for the Cubs are Soler, Rizzo, and Castro.
Carpenter grounds to the right side. La Stella makes a great running snag and gets the out at first. Side retired. 1-2-3 for St. Louis, but the lead 3-0 after 5 1/2.
Matt Carpenter is 2 for 3 with an RBI. Motte is throwing in the mid-90's.
Wainwright hits with one out and the bases empty. He pops foul to Rizzo to the right side. Two outs for Carpenter.
Jay flies high and deep to center. Fowler makes the catch for the first out.
Montero stays in to catch, and Jason Motte is the new pitcher. Motte will hit seventh.
T6: Cardinals have Jay, Wainwright, and Carpenter due up.
Fowler strikes out to end the inning. The Cubs have now wasted FOUR lead-off hits, three of them doubles. That is NOT the way win in the Major Leagues!
Tommy La Stella flies out to the warning track in center. Jon Jay makes the catch, but Ross advances to third. 2 outs for Dexter Fowler.
Montero lines HARD to short, but Peralta is right there to grab it. One out. The Cubs are 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
Miguel Montero is pinch hitting for Coke. Motte and Neil Ramirez are in the bullpen.
David Ross leads off with a lead-off double -- the fourth lead-off hit. Will THIS one come around?
The Cubs have three lead-off hits but no runs.
B5: Ross, Coke (pinch hitter likely), and La Stella are due up for Chicago.
Wong strikes out to end the threat. Cardinals get one but leave three. They lead 3-0 going to the bottom of the fifth.
Intentional walk to Yadier Molina loads the bases for Kolten Wong with two outs.
Matt Adams strikes out on three pitches. Two outs.
Matt Adams now hitting, facing Coke. Jason Motte is warming up for Chicago.
Lester's line: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. He is responsible for two more runners on.
Lester is coming out. Lefty Phil Coke will relieve him after the commercial break.
Peralta pops out to Tommy La Stella. A collision with Castro nearly caused the ball to drop. One out, runners at second and third for Matt Adams.
Double steal puts runners at second and third with nobody out.
Holliday bloops one into right. Carpenter scores. Heyward advances to second. The throw beat him, but Castro dropped the ball. Soler was not sure what to do with the ball.
Lester looks very uncomfortable with runners on. He keeps shifting his feet. There is now a meeting on the mound.
Heyward shoots one into left for his third hit. Carpenter advances to third.
Carpenter starts to steal, but he returns to first. Ross's throw would have nailed him. Carpenter may have slipped.
Carpenter singles to left for his second hit. One on for Jason Heyward, who is 2 for 2 with a run scored.
Carpenter (1 for 2, RBI) leads off. He runs the count full. Lester has thrown a lot of pitches.
Top 5: Due up are Carpenter, Heyward, and Holliday, the top of the order.
Mike Olt grounds out to Peralta at short. Three up, three down. 2-0 Cardinals after four.
Chris Coghlan (1 for 1, 2B): Groundout to first, Adams to Wainwright covering for the second out. Wainwright has gotten two outs on three pitches.
Starlin Castro leads off with a first-pitch groundout to shortstop Peralta. One out.
B4: Due up for the Cubs: Castro, Coghlan, and Olt.
Wainwright bounces out to third. Olt makes the play to Rizzo to end the inning. Going to the bottom of the fourth, Cardinals still lead 2-0.
Jon Jay takes strike three. The pitch looked inside, and Jay did NOT like that call. Two outs for Wainwright.
Wong steals second and advances to third on Ross's overthrow unto center. A good throw gets Wong easily. Lester does not throw to first, so St. Louis is taking advantage.
Wong grounds to second. La Stella gets the force out but nothing more. Wong safe at first. One out for Jon Jay.
Kolten Wong up. First pitch high and tight, prompting Ross to head to the mound. Remember that Lester had only 8 1/3 innings of Spring Training.
Yadier Molina leads off with a walk. That is not a good sign for the Cubs.
Top 4: Cardinals will have 6-7-8: Molina, Wong, and Jay.
For the third straight inning, the Cubs waste a lead-off hit. After three, the Cardinals lead 2-0.
Wainwright has an awesome breaking ball tonight. Full count again, but Rizzo swings and misses to end the inning. He has fanned both times up so far.
Meeting on the mound. 1-1 count on Rizzo. Castro on deck.
Rizzo hits with a man at second and two outs.
Soler swings and misses, chasing a curve out of the zone for strike three. Two outs.
Third straight full count from Wainwright. That will up his pitch count in a hurry.
Beautiful jumbo-tron in left field!
La Stella steals second base on a hit and run. Soler swings and misses, but Molina's throw is off the mark. Unusual for Yaider Molina.
Fowler flies to right. La Stella was running on the pitch, but he gets back. One out for Jorge Soler.
Fowler works a full count, laying off some good curve balls from Wainwright.
Fowler is up with a man at first and nobody out.
La Stella works the count full. He then lines a sinker into center for a hit. Can the Cubs bring him around? They have done so yet tonight.
B3: Tommy La Stella leading off.
Bottom 3rd: La Stella, Fowler, and Soler due up for the Cubs.
Matt Adams up. Ground out to first, Lester covering. Side retired. No runs for the Cardinals in the third, but they lead 2-0.
Strike three called on Peralta. Two outs. Wide but consistent.
Peralta up with one out and a man at third.
Matt Holliday hits one hard back to Lester, who gets the out at first. Heyward advances to third. Lester may have had the out at third but chose to go to first.
The Cardinals do not waste these opportunities very often.
Heyward pops one to left, and it drops in for a bloop double. Coghlan dove but could not come up with it. Castro was a little hesitant.
Top 3. Due up: Heyward, Holliday, Peralta
Olt's strikeout may have cost the Cubs a run. Moving Coghlan to third could have resulted in a score on the fly ball to center. We will not know now.
Strike three called to retire the side. The Cubs have wasted TWO lead-off doubles so far. After two, 2-0 Cardinals.
Ross hits a DEEP fly to center to advance Coghlan to third. Jay makes the catch. 2 outs for Lester, hitting eighth. Lester is 0 for 36 in his career.
Olt runs the count full. Check swing is called strike three. The pitch was WAY out of the zone. he chased a bad one. One out for David Ross.
Mike Olt is up. He is holding Kris Bryant's place for just a short time. A billboard behind the left field bleachers says, "Worth the wait" in reference to Bryant with his picture on it.
Coghlan doubles right down the left-field line. Let's see if the Cubs can get him home. They failed in the first after a lead-off double.
B2: Chris Coghlan leads it off.
Bottom 2. Due up for the Cubs: Coghlan, Olt, Ross.
Carpenter is thrown out trying to steal on the first pitch to Heyward, Ross to Castro to end the inning. After 1 1/2, Cardinals lead 2-0.
Carpenter lines the first pitch into center to drive home Wong. Cardinals lead 2-0. Jay advances to second. Jay on first.
Wainwright takes strike three, a fastball off the plate. WIDE strike zone tonight. 2 outs for the lead-off man, Matt Carpenter.
Wainwright has a .202 career average with 6 HR and 39 RBI. He bunts foul on the first two pitches and hits three more foul balls. Still batting with 0-2 count.
Jay singles to right. Wong advances to third. 1st and 3rd, one out for Wainwright, who is no slouch with the bat.
Man at first, one out for Jon Jay.
Ball four up and in puts Wong on first. He can run, and Lester NEVER threw to first base last season. Not once. Almost two full seasons without throwing to first.
Wong just had a pitch to drill but swung through it for strike 2. Count now full.
The umpire so far is giving the wide corners but not extending zone vertically.
Molina strikes swinging out on a fastball outside the zone. 1 out for Kolten Wong.
Yadier Molina leads off. He has lost 20 pounds since last season. That should help him play more games this season.
Top 2. Due up for Cardinals: Molina, Wong, Jay.
After one inning, Cardinals lead 1-0.
Castro lines hard up the middle, but Wainwright knocks it down and gets the out at first. Cubs do not score.
Rizzo takes strike three, but the pitch was well outside the K-Zone that ESPN uses. Replays show the ball was well off the plate. 2 outs for Starlin Castro.
Molina blocks another one in the dirt. 2-2 on Rizzo.
Wild pitch but Fowler holds at third. Molina is the best at blocking the ball.
He learned fast. Ground ball to second moves Fowler to third. One away. Rizzo now up.
Soler needs to learn to move the runner to third. He is swinging for the fences.
Man at 2nd, 0 out for Jorge Soler.
Line drive double to left for Fowler! The Cubs now have a legitimate leadoff hitter, which they have lacked for many years.
Bottom 1st: Dexter Fowler leads it off.
Due up for the Cubs in bottom of the first: Fowler, Soler, Rizzo.
End of inning. Cardinals lead 1-0. Cubs coming to bat.
Adams fouls off first two fastballs. Strike three swinging on another great curveball.
Peralta strikes out swinging. Good hard breaking ball to get him. 2 outs. Matt Adams up.
Jhonny Peralta up with a man at first, one out.
Holliday singles to right. Jorge Soler bobbles. Heyward scores. 1-0 Cardinals.
Jason Heyward lines a double to right. One on, one out. Matt Holliday coming up.
Carpenter grounds out to second baseman Tommy La Stella. 1 out
Lester's first pitch is a strike, and the ball is removed from the game as the first pitch of the season.
T1, 0 out: Matt Carpenter steps in!
The Cubs take the field!
Large Ernie Banks signs and photos cover the left-field bleachers, which are still under renovation.
St. Louis will have five left-handed hitters facing southpaw Lester.
There is a slight delay because of the pre-game ceremony on the field. The grounds crew is cleaning the field. Lester is still in the bullpen.
T1: Matt Carpenter leads it off.
Top 1: Due up for Cardinals: Carpenter, Heyward, Holliday
The first pitch will happen any minute now.
Wayne Messmer doles out the National Anthem as beautfully and as powerfully as he always does!
Moments of silence in memory of Oscar Tavares and Ernie Banks.
Rizzo and Lester got the biggest ovations.
The lineups are now being announced to the Wrigley Field crowd. The Cubs got a rousing ovation. Cub fans are waiting, hoping, and praying that this rebuilding process works -- fast!
The Cubs, meanwhile, have a younger lineup with little Major League experience and almost no postseason experience. Lester has won two World Series, and that is a major reason he is now a Cub. Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro are now the team leaders who will have to help Jorge Soler, Mike Olt, and – eventually – Bryant and Javier Baez adjust to life in the Majors.
The Cardinals’ experienced lineup will not have the same Opening Day jitters that the young Cubs will likely have. Wainwright has the game’s best catcher in Yadier Molina calling his pitches, and the lineup is loaded with talent that has played in pennant races and postseason pressure situations.
Yes, Jon Lester is batting eighth. After the first time through the order, it essentially makes Lastella the lead-off man and Rizzo the clean-up hitter.
The Cubs have announced their starting lineup: 1) Dexter Fowler, CF; 2) Jorge Soler, RF; 3) Anthony Rizzo, 1B; 4) Starlin Castro, SS; 5) Chris Coghlan, LF; 6) Mike Olt, 3B; 7) David Ross, C; 8) Jon Lester, P; 9) Tommy La Stella, 2B
The Cardinals have announced their starting lineup: 1) Matt Carpenter, 3B; 2) Jason Heyward, RF; 3) Matt Holliday, LF; 4) Jhonny Peralta, SS; 5) Matt Adams, 1B; 6) Yadier Molina, C; 7) Kolten Wong, 2B; 8) Jon Jay, CF; 9) Adam Wainwright, P
In his first National League season, Lester will also have to learn to handle the bat. He is 0 for 36 with 22 strikeouts in his career, batting only in Interleague play. He has five sacrifice bunts and one sacrifice fly in 43 plate appearances.
Lester was a combined 16-11 with Boston and Oakland last year with a 2.46 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. He struck out 220 hitters in 219 2/3 innings. That is the type of pitcher the Cubs hope to see tonight and all season.
The Cubs will rely heavily on newly-signed ace Jon Lester. The 31-year-old southpaw signed a six-year, $155-million contract in December to help lead the Cubs back into contention. He had a good start to Spring Training, but shoulder fatigue cut it short and reduced his effectiveness. He totaled six earned runs allowed in 8 1/3 innings spread over three starts.
Wainwright can also handle the bat fairly well. He is a career .202 hitter with 6 HR, and 39 RBI in a full-season’s worth of 510 at bats. He has also laid down 41 sacrifice bunts.
Wainwright finished 2014 with a record of 20-9, a 2.38 ERA, and a 1.03 WHIP. His 20 wins were tied for second in the National League, and his ERA was third. He surpassed 200 innings for the fifth time in his career with 227 innings over 32 starts. He struck out 179.
As expected, Adam Wainwright will start for St. Louis. There was a slight doubt about his making this start when he strained his abdominal muscles early in Spring Training, but a 3.13 ERA in three spring starts (14 1/3 innings) ended those doubts.
Meanwhile, the 2015 Cubs roster looks very different on Opening Day than it did a year ago. The 2014 Cubs finished in last place with only 73 wins, but the atmosphere is much more positive around Wrigley Field now. The biggest question is when the young studs will mature and prove that they belong on a winning Major League roster. Question #2 is when Kris Bryant will get his much anticipated call-up.
St. Louis made no significant moves during the past offseason, nor did they need to. The Cardinals, who won the division and advanced to the NLCS last year, were middle-of-the-pack in offense, but their starting pitching was among the best in the league.
Whereas the Cardinals are perennial contenders who have maintained their winning ways with a consistent roster, the Cubs have spent the last few years dumping high-priced veterans past their prime and quality starting pitching at just the right time. They have used their returns to build a core of very solid young players whom the Cubs can then develop through their own system in attempt to become perennial contenders themselves and break the 107-year World Series championship drought.
The two teams have reached this point in very different ways. St. Louis has reached the last four consecutive National League Championship Series, making the postseason twice as wild card teams and twice as division champs. They won it all in 2011 and came to within two games of doing it again in 2013. Their only roster loss of seemingly significant implications was Albert Pujols in 2012. However, even his loss has not affected the team one bit.
Following this three-game series, which continues Tuesday and Wednesday, the two rivals will meet four times in early May, three in late June, three a week before the All-Star Break, and six times in September. Those last six games could have postseason implications for both teams.
Now, the 2015 season is set to begin. Two teams get to start the party as the Chicago Cubs will host their bitterest of rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, in the first of 19 head-to-head match-ups in what fans of both teams hope is a battle for the National League Central Division title. The first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. EDT.
Since the San Francisco Giants won Game 7 of the fantastic 2014 World Series on October 29, Major League Baseball fans have endured a long but very busy offseason in anticipation of a new exciting 2015 campaign. Spring Training has come and gone, allowing players to prepare for the new season, managers to select their final 25-man rosters, and fans to watch their teams develop into, hopefully, postseason contenders.