Wainwright rides in to rescue Cards vs. Braves
The Cardinals probably caught a huge break last night. In the immediate aftermath of a 13-5 loss to the MLB-worst Braves, however, it certainly didn’t feel that way.
Both Matt Carpenter and Yadier Molina left the middle match of the weekend set early due to discomfort. During his postgame press conference, though, skipper Mike Matheny shot down any notion of an extended absence for either star.
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That’s of paramount importance to the Redbirds, obviously, as they vie for playoff positioning. St. Louis (58-52) remains tied with Miami for the National League’s second-wild card spot. Don Mattingly’s group also absorbed a beating on Saturday.
Still, the Marlins’ defeat was slightly easier to swallow than the horror show endured by those in attendance at Busch Stadium. Atlanta (40-70) pounded starter Carlos Martinez and then touched up the Cards’ bullpen for six more runs. Leadoff man Ender Inciarte spearheaded the charge with three base knocks, lifting his average to .388 since the Midsummer Classic.
Online sports book Bovada.lv doesn’t necessarily expect a second straight shellacking, however, giving St. Louis odds of -240 to seize the series finale. Brian Snitker’s bunch checks in as a +200 underdog. The over/under run figure holds steady at eight.
Adam Wainwright, whom the Braves drafted in 2000, gets the call for the Cardinals. He owns an 8-2 record with a 2.95 ERA in 16 career appearances against Atlanta. Most recently, Wainwright took a no-decision at Cincinnati, exiting following five innings and 101 pitches.
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On the other side, Mike Foltynewicz is gradually finding his groove. A former first-round pick of the Astros, the hard-throwing righty boasts 62 strikeouts in 72 1/3 frames. He went 2-2 with a 4.99 ERA in July, moving toward the front of Snitker’s rotation in the absence of ace Julio Teheran.
Neither Molina nor Carpenter should be counted on heading into this matinee. Yet, the Cards understand the importance of closing out Atlanta with authority. Watch as the host squad explodes here.
SUNDAY MLB FREE PICK: CARDINALS -1.5