The St. Louis Cardinals broke up an impressive Los Angeles Dodgers win streak when these two clubs played in the opener of a three-game set on Tuesday.
The Redbirds will usher the Dodgers into Busch Stadium again on Wednesday night, aiming to win their second in a row.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers (56-30) had won seven consecutive contests — in sweeps of the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago Cubs — before being outlasted, 7-6, against the Cards. Los Angeles has won the third-most away matchups (26) in the National League.
NL West Standings
At this moment, they hold a 7.5-game lead on San Diego in the NL West standings. A few wins over the coming days could mean the Dodgers are well on their way to having the best record in the NL before the All-Star break.
St. Louis (48-42) is building a winning streak of its own, as they’ve won their last three. This comes after they lost six of seven to Atlanta and Philadelphia.
Right now, the Cardinals sit two games behind Milwaukee but nine games in front of the third-place Pittsburgh Pirates.
As long as the Redbirds can notch a couple of wins over their last five games before the halfway mark, they’ll be in good shape.
Where do the Cardinals Stand on MLB Stats?
In terms of MLB team stats, St. Louis is one of the better crews in the league when it comes to swinging the bats.
Their .249 batting average grades out in the top third of the NL and is within eight ticks of the leading squad in that category, which is Colorado.
Paul Goldschmidt Analysis
You can’t talk about the Cardinals’ offense without going into great detail on the first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
He has the second-best average (.333) and OPS (1.012) in the majors while also bashing a team-high 19 home runs and piling up 65 RBIs.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado has been the Robin to Goldschmidt’s Batman, having posted a .293 average himself, along with driving in 65 runs and 17 dingers, both of which would be tops on the team if not for Goldschmidt’s presence.
Goldschmidt’s Presence
St. Louis also ranks in the top 10 in the majors, with 400 runs scored. Unsurprisingly, Goldschmidt also leads the lineup in that regard, having come across 61 times.
Behind him is second baseman Tommy Edman, who’s crossed home plate for 58 scores. Goldschmidt also has a team-best 45 walks.
Cardinals vs. Dodgers Odds
Odds MLB favors the visiting team to get back on the horse here. Los Angeles is -1.5 on the run line at +114, while the Cardinals are -137 to cover the spread.
On the moneyline, the Los Angeles Dodgers are -154 and St. Louis a +130 underdog. MLB odds have the total set at eight runs, with the over being -106 and the under -114 at the time of this writing.
While St. Louis’ bats are dangerous, as are Los Angeles’. The Dodgers are hitting a combined .253 at the moment, and they’ve also tallied the second-most runs in MLB, behind only the New York Yankees.
Freddie Freeman Analysis
At the plate, Los Angeles is led by first baseman Freddie Freeman (who’s hitting .311) and shortstop Trea Turner (.303). Second baseman Gavin Lux has chipped in with a .302 batting average.
Turner and Freeman have also been crucial in terms of bringing runners in, as they’ve combined for 119 RBIs.
Right fielder Mookie Betts and third baseman Justin Turner have both accounted for 46 runs driven in. On the road, each:
- Lux
- Freeman
- Turner
Are swinging for averages of at least .300.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Preview
Who Is Pitching for the Cardinals?
Right-hander Adam Wainwright will pitch for the home team. The 40-year-old veteran has a 6-7 record and a respectable 3.15 ERA to this point.
In each of his last two starts, the Cards squared off with Philadelphia. Neither time was his offense able to add any run support at all, as St. Louis was blanked.
In what’s become a rare performance, Wainwright went the distance against the Phillies last Friday, allowing five hits and only two earned runs. Still, he was tagged with his second straight loss.
Cardinal’s Deal of Success
In June, the Cardinals had a good deal of success with him on the bump, winning four of his five outings. Wainwright has turned in four appearances of seven innings or more since the start of last month.
Who Is Pitching for the Dodgers?
Opposing him will be 28-year-old righty Tony Gonsolin, who has a spotless 11-0 record and an MLB-best 1.62 ERA. His 0.80 ERA is also the best in the bigs.
Not once this campaign has Gonsolin given up more than five hits in a single game. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in one, either.
Against the Chicago Cubs last Thursday, he went seven frames — his second straight start in which he lasted so long — and led his team to a 5-3 victory.
Gonsolin Expectations
If Gonsolin can bag another win here, he’ll only be building on one of the most impressive pre-All-Star break efforts in recent memory.
As a staff, the Dodgers are the best at the game’s top level. Their 2.96 ERA is tops, and they’ve also issued the fewest walks of any team in the bigs. Only Houston has conceded fewer earned runs.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Picks and Predictions
In making Dodgers vs. Cardinals betting predictions, you have to ask yourself if you’d rather go with the weathered veteran, in Wainwright, or one of the most rock-solid starters this year, in Gonsolin.
When making MLB picks today, know that both crews have talented offensive pieces, so it’s likely that this one will come down to the matchup on the bump.
Who to Bet On?
For your free MLB picks, you should go with St. Louis to knock the Dodgers off for the second evening in a row. Take the Cardinals to win outright to make some money.
MLB Pick: Cardinals (+130)
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