MLB Betting Online: The St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates have little hope of catching the Chicago Cubs for the National League Central crown, but both are in contention for the two wild card spots. The regular season is winding down, so the Cardinals and Pirates will be facing off in a titanic matchup on Monday, September 5th, 2016, at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Cardinals will have the more experienced pitcher on the hill but must go on the road, so this result could go either way in MLB gambling.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The Cardinals are currently sitting in the second wild card spot, trailing the San Francisco Giants but ahead of teams like the Pirates, New York Mets and Miami Marlins. They have a record of 70-62 on the season and a run-differential of plus-79, which is the best among the wild card hopefuls.
The Pirates have come on strong in the second half of the season and at 67-64 are right in the mix for a playoff berth, but need to play well down the stretch to get one. Pittsburgh made the postseason a year ago but was defeated by the Cubs in the wild card round.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Long-time Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright is expected to take the hill, although he has not pitched as well this year as has been his career norms. Wainwright is only 9-8 with a 4.53 ERA, and it’s fair to wonder if his best days are behind him as he advances in age.
The Pirates will counter with Chad Kuhl, who is 3-2 this season with a 3.70 ERA. His strikeout numbers are not very impressive and his ERA has been propped up by a degree of luck. Kuhl is facing a tough Cardinals offense and it would not be a surprise if it touched him up.
LIVE BETTING
The Cardinals have one of the best offenses in the majors. The team is deep and balanced, with players like Matt Carpenter, Stephen Piscotty and Yadier Molina leading the way. Matt Holliday is a big bat on the disabled list, but St. Louis has managed to still hit well without him.
The Pirates are led by Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco. Andrew McCutchen is a perennial All-Star but has not played up to his usual high standard this year as he has battled an injury. The offense is solid overall and Wainwright will need to be on his game.
QUICK PICK
The Cardinals have been more consistent this season and hope to push toward securing a postseason spot. It seems like the Cardinals have a good shot at returning to the postseason, but if they stumble at all a team like the Pirates would love to take advantage.
Since Pittsburgh gets this series at home, it is crucial that it makes up ground. Much of this game could come down to the effectiveness of Wainwright. If he gets back to his old ways it will make it tough on the Pittsburgh offense, but he hasn’t done that for a while.
If Wainwright struggles, the Pirates could have the upper hand in this matchup. They will aim to close the gap in the wild card standings with a victory in MLB gambling.
MLB Odds: Pirates 6, Cardinals 5
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