Since leaving St. Louis, Michael Wacha has been unbeatable when he squares off against the Cardinals.
The host Kansas City Royals desperately hope that trend continues on Sunday afternoon, when Wacha will try to help them avoid a fifth straight loss and three-game series sweep at the hands of the surging Cardinals.
Wacha (3-4, 2.96 ERA) spent the first seven years of his career in St. Louis (2013-19). The right-hander was the National League Championship Series MVP in 2013 and an All-Star in 2015.
Since leaving the Cardinals, Wacha is 4-0 with a 2.96 ERA against them. Two of those wins came last season with Kansas City.
Wacha, 33, has a 1.75 ERA while winning three of his last four outings overall — all quality starts. He gave up two runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings during the Royals’ 7-5 victory at Houston on Monday.
“Want to stay on the attack and still make pitches out there,” Wacha said.
That might be easier said than done against current Cardinals, who have won three straight games and 12 of their last 13.
St. Louis had 13 hits in Friday’s 10-3 series-opening win. Then on Saturday, the Cardinals received a homer from light-hitting Jordan Walker, six strong innings from Miles Mikolas, and three solid innings of relief in a 1-0 victory over the Royals.
“Guys are just showing up with the mindset of expecting to win and (are) expecting to come out and play a good brand of baseball,” Sunday’s scheduled starter, Matthew Liberatore, told MLB Network.
Liberatore (3-3, 3.11 ERA) has allowed two or fewer runs in six straight starts, spanning various lengths. On Monday at Philadelphia, the left-hander gave up two runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings of the Cardinals’ 3-2 victory.
“I think my ability to move the ball both ways now has made a big difference,” Liberatore told MLB Network. “To be able to have some results at this level, (and) to be able to back up that confidence makes a world of difference.”
Liberatore made two relief appearances versus the Royals last season, going 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA over 4 2/3 innings. Sunday’s game will be his first career start against them.
Kansas City star Salvador Perez has homered off Liberatore but is 1-for-21 in his last five contests. The Royals have batted .216 and totaled 16 runs during their current 1-6 rut — which followed a 16-2 stretch.
“Just have to approach every day as a new day and just try to find a way to put up a crooked number any way you can,” said Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, who is batting .315 in the last 13 games.
Ivan Herrera, who had one of St. Louis’ two hits Saturday, is batting .413 in 14 games this season. Star teammate Nolan Arenado is just 1-for-20 in the last five games. However, he’s 9-for-19 with four home runs against Wacha.
St. Louis’ Willson Contreras has four hits in 18 at-bats versus Wacha, but two of those hits left the park.
–Field Level Media
