Cardinals vs. Reds Pick
Are the St. Louis Cardinals going to win a third straight game at the Cincinnati Reds Thursday night at 7:10PM EST?
According to oddsmakers at sports book Bovada.lv, St. Louis is a -168 favorite to win on the moneyline. Cincinnati is a +144 underdog and the over-under is set at 9.
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The Cardinals will send Carlos Martinez (11-11, 3.57 ERA) to the mound, while the Reds counter with Homer Bailey (5-8, 6.86). Martinez has a 1.19 WHIP with 205 strikeouts in 194 1/3 innings. He allowed seven earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks over 5 1/3 innings in an 8-2 loss at the Cubs his last start. Martinez has a 3.92 ERA in 101 road innings. Bailey holds a 1.73 WHIP with 60 strikeouts over 80 innings. He gave up one earned run on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-2 home win over the Pirates his last start. Bailey has a 7.78 ERA in 37 home innings.
St. Louis has a 79-72 overall record and is 37-40 on the road, while Cincinnati is 66-86 and 39-38 at home. The Cardinals have won seven of the last 10 meetings and the over-under is 5-5 in those games.
On Wednesday night, St. Louis rolled to a 9-2 victory as Luke Weaver allowed two earned runs and struck out seven in five innings for the win. Tommy Pham was 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs and two RBIs. Matt Carpenter finished 2-for-3 with a home run, two walks and two runs. Dexter Fowler was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer and a walk, the third straight game he has hit a home run. Paul DeJong hit a solo home run, while Yadier Molina added a two-run double. Patrick Kivlehan was 1-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI for the Reds. Rookie Davis gave up five earned runs in three innings to take the loss.
It’s impossible to trust Bailey even after he comes off a solid outing. The Cardinals have already shelled him this year and their offense comes in hot. Martinez tends to bounce back strongly after bad starts and St. Louis is still in the mix for the second NL Wild Card spot. Bet accordingly.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: ST. LOUIS CARDINALS -168