CHICAGO -- There could be a debate over who has the advantage when a pitcher faces a team in consecutive starts. The pitcher can study what worked and what went wrong and adjust accordingly. The hitters can do the same and perhaps be better prepared for the second meeting.\n\nOn Friday afternoon, Cubs lefty
Overall, Hamels ended with 10 strikeouts, three hits scattered and one walk issued over eight scoreless innings. It marked the first time that the veteran lefty finished with a double-digit strikeout showing and no more than one free pass since July 28, 2016. Hamels had not hit those marks with at least eight shutout frames since June 11, 2014.\n\nThe win also ensured that the Cubs will remain in first place in the National League Central.\n\n\"Some days you have to say, 'Man, that's some pitching right there,'\" Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. \"He was really good at our place last Sunday. That's as good as anyone has thrown against us all year. He was in control, command of everything, changeup, put it where he wanted to. He had all his ingredients working.\"\n\nOn Sunday, when Hamels was outdueled by veteran
Part of that was surely to give the Cardinals' batters different looks, but it was also to get into pitcher-friendly counts as swiftly as possible. To that end, Hamels went with fastballs (all types) on 81.5 percent of his first pitches on Friday -- up from 65.2 percent on Sunday. The lefty did not shy away from early-count offspeed pitches last time, but saved the bulk of those for put-away counts in this second meeting.\n\n\"I know if I can establish a fastball,\" Hamels explained, \"everything else plays off of it and it makes my other three pitches that much better. That's what I was really striving to do last game and this game, really establishing the four-seam fastball.\"\n\nOn 1-1 counts, Hamels split the difference between four-seamers and changeups. When he got to 1-2, pitches with break out-numbered fastballs again. Of the 10 strikeouts on the afternoon, five came via curves and changeups, while five came courtesy of fastballs.\n\n\"Did you notice the counts?\" Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. \"The first three or four innings, it seemed like everything was 1-2. Great command of his changeup. Fastball was hotter. I saw more 92 \\[mph pitches\\] and 93 \\[mph pitches\\] consistently today. So hotter fastball, total command of his changeup and much better counts. So when you get to that point, hitters just can't relax and sit on things. He was unpredictable and very accurate.
\n\nMaddon said it felt like Hamels was in 1-2 counts all game. In fact, he had 18 pitches on 1-2 counts Friday vs. St. Louis. That helped Hamels swing the game in his favor.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) June 7, 2019
Entering Friday, MLB hitters had a .171/.225/.282 slash line with a 43.9 K% after a 1-2 count this year. pic.twitter.com/8UzPHK4S9S
Hamels also noted that the game situation influenced the altered approach with his arsenal.\n\nOn Sunday, Hamels was locked in a low-scoring duel with Wainwright where one mistake might cost the Cubs the game. He wanted to throw more breaking balls and offspeed offerings under those circumstances. When
The first batter of the game,