Series with Cubs looms large for Cardinals

We’re still in May, way too early for consternation or dire conclusions.

But the Cardinals open a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Under any circumstances, a downtown series between the traditional rivals is enchanting. Under the present circumstances, early or not, the confrontation looms particularly pertinent for the Birds on the Treadmill.

“There seems to be an extra little edge buzzing through the stadium when the Cubs come into town,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny acknowledged. “It’s always fun.”

Fun, to be sure. But also competitively compelling. A beautiful day at Busch Stadium faded into a disappointing result Sunday. The Cardinals lost 7-2 to Arizona, losing in a discouraging manner. Facing one of the game’s better pitchers — Zack Greinke — they fell behind by five runs early and never seriously challenged.

For a color-coded crowd of 43,829, it was like watching red paint dry.

The Cardinals (23-21) thus lost two of three to the Diamondbacks (21-25), who never had won a series at the current Busch Stadium. Forty-four games into the season, Matheny’s Mob is neither here nor there. It has broken from the gates by running in place.

The Cubs, on the other hand, have been exactly who we thought they were — a force with which to be reckoned.

“Any time you play a team in your division it’s an opportunity,” Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright said. “But they’ve got a great team over there and they’re off to a great start. So it’s going to be a good challenge.”

The new-look North Siders carry the best record (29-13) into the series and a lead over the Cardinals that is seven games in the National League Central Division. It’s early, yes, but that’s just this side of double digits.

The fan-festering issues between the teams are built in. The Cubs beat the Cards in the postseason last fall, which was somewhat like the Washington Generals getting the best of the Harlem Globetrotters.

The worm turned, and it didn’t stop there. During the winter, the Cubs signed free-agent outfielder Jason Heyward, one of the Cardinals’ best players in 2015. They signed John Lackey, one of the Cardinals’ best pitchers. They also signed Ben Zobrist, an infielder and outfielder many Cardinals fans craved.

Heyward is injured and could miss the series entirely. He is off to a slow start with Chicago, batting .225 with one home run. But Lackey has been good, 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA, numbers that include an insult-to-injury win at Busch Stadium on April 18. As for Zobrist, he is batting .326 with six homers and 29 RBIs.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals had another wobbly game Sunday and played more shaky defense — they now have 39 errors. They put another day behind them as they look for contending traction.

This series against Chicago isn’t a “must” situation by any means. But if you aspire to a more dynamic identity, if you believe games 45 through 47 in the season count as much as games 160 through 162, the present is meaningful and the stage is big.

Cardinals reliever Dean Kiekhefer will get the Cubs-Cards experience for the first time, and he can’t wait.

“I’m excited, I really am,” Kiekhefer said. “Especially after what the Cubs have done last year and this year. They’re a really good team. I think it makes it even more exciting.

It also makes it more persuasive. The Cardinals lost the earlier series 2-1. They could cure the blahs more quickly by winning this one.

“Obviously, you’re trying to win every single game you play,” Kiekhefer said. “But one of the nice things is, you almost want to play the teams in front of you because you have an opportunity to make up some ground. We’re definitely going to give it everything we’ve got, that’s for sure.”

Wainwright (4-3) will make the first deposit.

Coming off his best start of the season with 6? 2/3 scoreless innings against the Rockies, he faces Lackey in Game 1. The 6-foot-7 rigththander is 12-7 lifetime in 37 career games against the Cubs.

While he missed nearly all of last season, Wainwright has not allowed the Baby Bears a run over his last three starts against them — dating to May 13, 2014. All were shutout wins for the Cardinals. Then again, all were at Wrigley Field, where he is 9-1 in his career.

“Shhh,” a smiling Wainwright said, finger to lips. “Why would you bring that up?”

More seriously, he can’t explain the discrepancy other than, “It’s a weird game.”

Wainwright loves pitching in Busch Stadium, where he is 65-37 with a 2.79 earned-run average in his career. But he also loves pitching at historic Wrigley.

“I do love pitching there; it’s just a fun place,” he said. “I have a lot of memories growing up, with those great Cubs players back then. Ryne Sandberg was one of my favorite players growing up. It’s a fun city. They don’t like me very much, but I like being there.”

With the Cardinals facing a Wednesday meeting with Jake Arrieta (8-0, 1.29), who has won his last 19 decisions, the first two games of the series loom even larger.

“There will be a big crowd here (Monday),” Wainwright added. “Players on both sides will be ready to play games. It should be fun.”

Dan O'Neill

@wwdod on Twitter

doneill@post-dispatch.com

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