Interleague challengers will get together in Missouri for the second game of a season series when the St. Louis Cardinals play host to the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday. The guests won Tuesday’s tilt behind home runs by center fielder Cedric Mullins and third baseman Tyler Nevin.
It was the fifth win in six tries for the Orioles (13-17), who are all of a sudden playing solid baseball. They’re still stuck behind the New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East.
In trying to compete for supremacy in the National League Central, the Redbirds (16-13) won’t be able to afford many defeats to clubs they should handle. St. Louis has dropped its last three and idles behind the Milwaukee Brewers in their grouping.
Other than third baseman Nolan Arenado, second baseman Tommy Edman, and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, the rest of the Cardinals’ bats have been pretty ordinary. No other hitter has an average over .242.
Arenado has been phenomenal so far, leading his side with a .318 average, seven long balls, 24 RBIs, and 34 knocks.
Orioles at Cardinals Odds
MLB odds have the Cardinals favored to halt their losing skid in this one. At. Louis is -1.5 on the run line at -105, while the Orioles are -114 to cover the spread.
On the moneyline, St. Louis is -230 and Baltimore a +190 underdog. The total has been set at eight runs, with the over being -105 and the under -115 at the time of this writing.
Baltimore’s momentum in the batter’s box could disrupt things. Left fielder Austin Hays, designated hitter Trey Mancini, and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle have all been raking as of late.
If the Orioles can keep it up, they’ll have a good shot at winning their fifth series of the young campaign. That number in itself shows how Baltimore has exceeded expectations.
Along with the successes of that trio, Mullins has chipped in with five dingers and Anthony Santander with a team-leading .397 on-base percentage.
Matchup Information
Orioles at Cardinals Betting Preview
Putting toe to the rubber for the Cardinals will be right-hander Miles Mikolas, who has posted a 2-1 record thus far in the fourth season with the team. In his last time out, at the San Francisco Giants, he went 5.2 innings and permitted one run.
Mikolas’ 1.53 ERA in 35.1 frames is the sixth-best in the league. He’s punched out as many challengers (28) as he has allowed hits and has a 0.99 WHIP. MLB betting trends point toward this guy overpowering his opposition.
He might be the difference-maker in this showdown.
The Orioles have won each of Spenser Watkins’ last three starts. The sophomore righty will be Mikolas’ counterpart, sporting a 3.22 ERA. If all goes well, he’ll get the run support he needs to pick up his first decision of the season.
In his two away games in 2022, Watkins didn’t allow his opponent more than three hits.
Orioles at Cardinals Picks and Predictions
One of these crews figures to be in the thick of the playoff race as summer temperatures cool. As they toil in a very competitive division, the other does not.
Although neither offense has been all that dangerous, the Orioles have done a surprisingly impressive job at putting runners on the base paths lately.
The Cardinals have at least two guys who can break through at any time, though. Being able to count on stalwarts such as Arenado and Goldschmidt will help the team from the Gateway to the West, and I’d trust the squad to get it together rather quickly.
The fact that Mikolas is dealing will only make things harder on the guests, and easier on MLB picks today.
St. Louis seems to be a safe bet here. Take it to rebound here in a convincing fashion. The Cardinals will emerge victorious and also cover.
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