There's plenty at stake when the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals open a season-ending three-game series Friday afternoon.

The Cubs have clinched a postseason berth already but are battling Milwaukee for the National League top seed while the Cardinals will be hoping to steal the second wild card in the NL.

Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks (13-11, 3.49 ERA) has allowed just one earned run in three of his four starts in September and he has posted a 1.55 ERA through his last seven starts.

Hendricks is 4-2 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 career starts against the Cards who turn to Adam Wainwright (2-3, 4.08 ERA). The veteran right-hander has made three starts since returning from the disabled list. He allowed four earned runs in both the first and the last of those outings with a scoreless outing against the Dodgers sandwiched in between. Cubs are hitting .268 in day games (2nd in the major leagues) and their bats should give Waino plenty of trouble today.

We can also note that the morale in the St. Louis camp must be rather low after opening the week with three devastating losses to Milwaukee. Good value on the Cubs in this matchup IMO.

8* play on Chicago Cubs.