Sportsbook.com MLB Wednesday
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (5-1) at CINCINNATI REDS (2-3)
Sportsbook.com Line: Cincinnati -125 & 7.5 under -115
The Cardinals will look to stay hot and sweep the Reds in this NL Central showdown on Wednesday afternoon.
The Reds have not been able to touch the St. Louis pitching thus far, notching just one run in each of the first two games of the series. Although Jaime Garcia, toeing the rubber for the Cardinals, has a 6-1 career record against the Reds, he also struggles mightily on the road where his ERA (4.27) is nearly a full two points worse than it is at home. Although Johnny Cueto has middling numbers in his career against the Cardinals, he pitched to a 2.60 ERA last season against the Redbirds, allowing just 22 hits in 27.2 innings as a part of his career year. He looked as if he were building off last year’s success in his season-opening gem, a seven-inning, three-hit performance against the Marlins and is in a good position for another strong outing here.
The St. Louis bats remained hot and strong in the second game of the series Tuesday as Carlos Beltran and David Freese each hit home run No. 3 of the season. Beltran has been potent in the two-hole, now sporting a 1.070 OPS and setting fear in to pitchers. With his 2-for-3 performance Tuesday, Freese moved his batting average to .444 and his OPS to a staggering 1.242. As impressive as this duo has been, the Cardinals lineup is bound for an off night—they will not continue to average 5.7 runs per game. Play against the sweep here for this road squad.
While the St. Louis bats are scorching, the Cincinnati ones are asleep at the wheel. Kyle Lohse toyed with the Reds lineup Tuesday, while the team registered just four hits in the contest. Joey Votto picked up an RBI but still has a .188 BA. It doesn’t help him that he lacks proper support in the lineup, with cleanup hitter 3B Scott Rolen batting .125. Jay Bruce went 2-for-4 and now stands at .316 as the beacon of hope in the Cincinnati lineup, but look for his compatriots to break out of their funk to avoid the sweep at home. Take the Reds here.
