Cardinals Keeping Pace
As the two teams ahead of them in the NL Central battled for first
place this week, the St. Louis Cardinals have been doing their part to
stay in the thick of the playoff race.
As the two teams ahead of them in the NL Central battled for first
place this week, the St. Louis Cardinals have been doing their part to
stay in the thick of the playoff race.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global
have made St. Louis -115 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has
been set at 10 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that
76% of bets for this game have been placed on St. Louis -115 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
St.
Louis (61-49) went into the week four games behind the first-place
Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and three games in back of the Milwaukee
Brewers for the wild card. Those two teams began a four-game series in
Milwaukee on Monday.
The Cardinals have done a good job in trying
to keep pace in the division by taking the first three games against
the Braves (49-58).
St. Louis has limited Atlanta to eight runs
in the series after it gave up 24 in New York last weekend. It’s been
the Cardinals’ offense, however, that has carried the team despite
center fielder Rick Ankiel (.282, 22 homers, 59 RBIs) not starting the
last four games due to a sore abdomen.
The Cardinals scored a
season-high 12 runs on Monday, put up eight more Tuesday, then pounded
out 12 hits on Wednesday in a 7-2 win, welcoming pitcher Chris
Carpenter back for his first start since opening day 2007.
Outfielder
Joe Mather – in the lineup due to Ankiel’s injury – has gone 5-for-15
with two homers and four RBIs in this series, including a two-run shot
Wednesday.
Mather hasn’t been alone in driving the Cardinals’
offense. Albert Pujols is hitting .524 (11-for-21) with three homers
and nine RBIs in his last five games, and Yadier Molina is 7-for-15
with four RBIs during this series.
"We’re just getting big hits after big hits," Pujols told the Cardinals’ official Web site.
St.
Louis has never swept a four-game series in Atlanta since the Braves’
franchise relocated from Milwaukee in 1966. Joel Pineiro (3-4, 4.79
ERA) will try to help the Cardinals get the job done Wednesday, but he
hasn’t pitched well lately.
Pineiro is 1-1 since June 27, but has
a 6.49 ERA in six starts. He hasn’t factored in the decision in three
starts since July 8, most recently giving up five runs and 10 hits in
four innings on Saturday in St. Louis’ 10-8, 14-inning win over the
Mets.
He’ll face a Braves team that’s missing some key components
as it fades from playoff contention for the third straight season.
Atlanta placed Chipper Jones on the 15-day DL on Monday, traded first
baseman Mark Teixeira to the Los Angeles Angels for Casey Kotchman and
a minor leaguer Tuesday, and found out Wednesday that star pitcher Tim
Hudson will likely need Tommy John surgery.
Kotchman went 0-for-5
in his Braves’ debut Wednesday, but the St. Petersburg, Fla., native is
happy to be playing in Atlanta despite being traded from baseball’s
best team.
"I’m really excited to be a Brave now," said Kotchman. "This is closer to home, obviously, so I’m really excited to be here."
Atlanta
will send Mike Hampton (0-0, 13.50) to the mound on Wednesday. He made
his first start in the majors since 2005 on Saturday, giving up six
runs over four innings in Philadelphia. He didn’t get a decision in the
Braves’ 10-9 loss.
"It’s a great feeling to be back," Hampton
told the team’s official Web site. "It’s bittersweet, because you want
to come back and pitch good enough to win. I didn’t do that."
Hampton is 10-8 with a 3.59 ERA in 26 games – 21 starts – against St. Louis.
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