Brewers strive for series split vs. Cardinals
With reinforcements coming – and a two-game winning streak at home, to boot – it is indeed beginning to feel a lot like September for the Cardinals.
Mike Matheny’s troops try to finish their series against Milwaukee on a positive note today, with a 2:15 p.m. ET first pitch in the Gateway City. Handicappers at online sports book BetDSI lean toward the Redbirds, whereas the Brewers enter as +153 underdogs. The over/under run figure holds steady at nine.
Not only does St. Louis hope to improve to 6-4 in September, the team’s itching to welcome back shortstop Aledmys Diaz (.312/.376/.518). The rookie sensation could be activated from the disabled list this afternoon. He has missed the past 36 contests with a right thumb fracture, leaving the Cards to mix and match in the No. 2 spot in the order.
As of late, though, Matheny’s been pulling a lot of the right strings. The Cardinals have finally claimed back-to-back verdicts at Busch Stadium, where they’ve labored through the better part of six months. Rookie Luke Weaver wants to keep the momentum going in a short while. He’s 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA since Aug. 20.
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Craig Counsell answers with Zach Davies, he of the 10-7 record and 120 strikeouts across 146 innings. The young righty fanned nine in a rock-solid performance vs. St. Louis several weeks ago. Most recently, he limited the MLB-best Cubs to two earned runs and six hits over 6 2/3 frames.
The Redbirds are 13-5 against the Brew Crew in 2016. Expect the hosts to struggle a bit more than usual on this occasion, though, due to Davies’ presence on the hill. Therefore, we recommend going low with the score.
SUNDAY MLB FREE PICK: BREWERS/CARDINALS UNDER 9 RUNS