Five games back in the division, the 65-44 Pirates will look to make a run at the division leading 71-40 Cardinals in the middle game of a three game set. To date, each team has been a bettors’ dream with the Cardinals sitting at a total moneyline of $2,302 and the Pirates at $1,284.
ODDS ANALYSIS
In 10 game played to date, these teams are 5-5 head to head this year though it was the Cardinals that took three of four in the last series.
This time around, the series is in St. Louis which gives the Cards an even bigger edge. St. Louis is 40-16 at home though the Pirates do hold their own on the road with a 26-26 mark.
Pittsburgh is also in the midst of a four game winning streak heading into the series while the Cards dropped their last game to the Brewers, 5-4, snapping their four game winning streak.
PITCHING MATCHUP
In the premier pitching matchup of the day, the Cardinals will send Michael Wacha to the mound against Gerrit Cole. The pair of 24-year olds have combined to win 27 games with Wacha sitting at 13-4 and Cole at 14-5.
Cole seems to have the slight edge with a 2.39 ERA and 1.102 WHIP over 143 1/3 innings of work while Wacha’s ERA sits at 2.92, though his WHIP is a bit lower at 1.081 in 11 fewer innings of work.
Of late, Wacha gets the bump. He’s not allowed a run in his last two games, spanning 14 innings and he’s put up a 1.42 ERA against the Pirates in two starts this year.
Cole, on the other hand, did record a quality start in his last game, his sixth in his last seven, but allowed three runs in six innings to see his ERA rise. In his only start against the Cards this year, he allowed two runs through seven innings.
QUOTE TO NOTE
The Cardinals lost their last game, though Matt Carpenter now has an extra base hit in his last six games. Manager Mike Matheny commented on his third baseman, saying:
“It looks a lot like what we saw early in the season. I think it just proves to him that it wasn’t necessarily a fluke.”
LIVE/SITUATIONAL BETTING
It certainly wasn’t a fluke and the Cardinals will ride Carpenter’s hot streak. The third baseman has a .843 OPS, ranking second on the team behind outfielder Randal Grichuk whose .901 OPS and 14 home runs put him in consideration for Rookie of the Year honors.
St. Louis’s success comes from its baseball leading 2.60 team ERA, but the offense is just deep enough, allowing them to plate 3.96 runs per game.
Pittsburgh is another team led by its pitching and ranks second overall with a 3.23 ERA, but offensively, the Pirates have a bit more to offer than the Cards with 20 more runs scored on the year.
The Pirates have a bigger star in Andrew McCutchen whose .911 OPS leads the team along with his 17 home runs. Jung Ho Kang is probably the team’s second most valuable player, however, filling in at third and short while providing a .821 OPS and 28 extra base hits.
PROP TALK
Cole and Wacha have each done very well against the opposition, but keep a close eye on McCutchen and Carpenter.
As noted, Carpenter is red hot. He also has a good deal of success against Cole going 4 for 13 with a pair of home runs. McCutchen is 5 for 12 against Wacha. He does not have a home run, but he does have a double and a .462 OBP.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
These teams are very similar, both can pitch well, both have a young ace on the hill, both get just enough from their offense and both have a good bullpen.
As such, look to the recent trends with Wacha shutting down opponents lately and Cole pitching reasonably well, but giving up a few runs. Add in the sport’s best bullpen and the Cards get the slight edge.
St. Louis 3, Pittsburgh 2
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
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! First pitch for the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals is scheduled for Wednesday, August 12, 2015, at 8:15 p.m. ET at Busch Stadium. The matchup can be seen live on ESPN.
