MLB Odds - St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates Game Preview

If your favorite baseball team isn't playing tonight, make the games more interesting by betting on MLB odds at BookMaker sportsbook! This is the only online wagering outlet that offers early MLB moneylines, runlines and totals. First pitch for the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates is scheduled for Sunday, August 20, 2017, at 7:08 p.m. ET at PNC Park. The matchup can be seen live on ESPN.

This primetime showdown on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball will feature a pair of teams both of which are surprisingly still relevant in the NL Central and NL Wild Card races. The St. Louis Cardinals are surging and find themselves now neck-and-neck with the Cubs. The Pittsburgh Pirates are still on the outside looking in, but have weathered a ton of storms to be flirting with .500.

You can bet on MLB odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.

ODDS ANALYSIS

After an eight game winning streak to get back in the postseason picture, the Cardinals have now dropped back-to-back games going into Wednesday.

St. Louis has been an incredibly streaky team all season so it’s important to keep an eye on this team leading into Sunday. If they can get back to their winning ways, they can play like one of the better teams in the league. Given the streakiness of this team, however, they’ve also looked like one of the NL’s worst teams at times this year.

Right now, the St. Louis offense is performing. Dexter Fowler is doing his thing despite moving around in the lineup and Matt Carpenter continues to show why he’s a leadoff hitter.

The Pirates have also started a losing streak, dropping three straight contests as their offense has gone cold.

PROBABLE PITCHERS

It looks like a battle of veterans in prime time as Mike Leake and Ivan Nova are lined up to make this important Sunday night start.

Nova is another one of the Ray Searage success stories. He was woefully underperforming with the Yankees and came over to the Pirates and found instant success last year.

This season, Nova is 10-10 with a 3.77 ERA. He’s provided quality innings, leading the team with 154 innings pitched in 24 starts.

Nova’s only appearance against the Cardinals this year came back in April when he went eight innings and gave up a pair of runs. More recently, it’s been more of a struggle for Nova. He allowed six runs in 6.1 innings against the Tigers prior to turning things around a bit in his last start, allowing two runs in six innings against the Brewers. Despite pitching reasonably well, Nova still lost his last start.

Going back a bit further, prior to his more recent start, he had surrendered at least four runs in four straight games.

Leake, on the other side, is 7-11 with a 3.88 ERA after blowing up in his last start.

The right-hander lasted just 4.1 innings, allowing eight runs—all earned—along with nine hits and a pair of walks. He’s now allowed 13 runs over his last 9.1 innings as his ERA has shot up half a run in just two games.

Leake will be looking for a turnaround game much like the one Nova got last time out. Nova, meanwhile, will try and build on his last start to get back in the win column.

LIVE BETTING

Andrew McCutchen’s bat is still producing, but few others are swinging well for the Pirates right now. Starling Marte hasn’t found his groove since his return and has shown no power.

The Pirates also dealt away Tony Watson at the deadline weakening the pen, primarily from the left side. Felipe Rivero’s continued success in the closer’s role, however, is a difference maker against most teams. Pittsburgh has the lock down guy that can close the door late.

St. Louis has seen their pen improve with Trevor Rosenthal back closing games and Seung-hwan Oh re-finding himself in a setup role.

QUICK PICK

When it comes down to it, we have two similar starters meeting in a primetime showdown on national television.

Neither pitcher is coming into the game having thrown their best game and both have several questions going forward. That leaves the door open for the offenses to steal the show, but Pittsburgh’s bats have had trouble of late, too.

St. Louis’s offense is dysfunctional and their defense remains dreadful, but the Pirates bats are quiet right now. Look for Leake the Cardinals to take advantage and hold the Pirates offense relatively at bay while the St. Louis offense continues to roll enough to get the win.

MLB Odds: Cardinals 6, Pirates 3

Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today!