Gorzelanny shoots for fourth straight win in middle tilt with Cards

Baseball Betting Lines

07/24/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tom Gorzelanny goes after his fourth straight win this afternoon when the Chicago Cubs play the middle test of their three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.

Gorzelanny, who is 5-5 with a 3.12 earned run average, outdueled Roy Halladay to win his third consecutive start on Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies, holding them to two earned runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings.

The lefty has faced the Cardinals six times and is 1-3 against them with a 3.82 ERA.

Chicago drew first blood in this set on Friday, as Randy Wells turned in seven scoreless innings, and three different players hit home runs, propelling the Cubs to a 5-0 win. Tyler Colvin, Geovany Soto and Alfonso Soriano each reached the seats for the Cubs, who have won three of five.

Wells (5-7) won for just the second time this month after scattering five hits while fanning seven with three walks.

"He's pitching with a much better tilt on the ball, his slider's got much better rotation and sharpness to it," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella of Wells. "Now he's starting to mix in his changeups. It's just been a nice turnaround for him."

Jon Jay singled and walked twice for the Cardinals, who have lost two straight after winning eight in a row.

Jeff Suppan (0-6) was tagged in defeat for 10 hits and five runs over six full frames, walking three with no strikeouts. The veteran right-hander hasn't won a game since September 19, 2009, a span of 25 appearances.

"He still gave us a chance in a game where we didn't give ourselves a chance to win because our offense wasn't productive," Cards manager Tony La Russa said of Suppan. "He's a very competitive guy and he's just got to figure out a way to get out of this."

Getting the call for the Cardinals today will be righty Blake Hawksworth, who has won his last two starts. Hawksworth beat the Phillies on Monday, but was not overly impressive in allowing three first inning runs and 10 hits in six innings. He also walked three batters, but improved to 4-5 on the year to go along with a 4.85 ERA.

"I got us in a hole early, but they picked me up and got the 'W'," Hawksworth said after the game.

This will be Hawksworth's first start against the Cubs, but he has pitched to a 2.45 ERA in three relief outings against them.

St. Louis' offense should also get a boost this afternoon with the return of outfielder Ryan Ludwick, who was activated from the 15-day disabled list after missing 23 games with a strained calf.

In 71 games for the Cardinals this season, Ludwick is batting .273 with 11 home runs and 42 runs batted in.

St. Louis took two of three from the Cubs earlier in the season at Wrigley.

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