The defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers (88-51) are battling for the NL West lead and have taken the first two games of the series against the St. Louis Cardinals (69-68). St. Louis, meanwhile, has fallen four games out of the wild card race with a four-game losing streak. Game three of the four-game series is set for 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
The Dodgers have not yet announced their starting pitcher for Wednesday or Thursday to finish this series. The Cardinals will turn to veteran Adam Wainwright (14-7, 2.91), who announced on Tuesday that he plans to return in 2022.
Dodgers Not Slowing Down
Despite falling back into second place when they lost two of three to the San Francisco Giants over the weekend, the Dodgers are 7-3 in the last ten games. In that span, they have allowed more than three runs just twice, in two of the losses. The under has hit in nine of the last 10 Dodgers games.
The Dodgers clubbed tour homers in Tuesday’s win as Albert Pujols, Will Smith, and Justin Turner (twice) all went deep. Chris Taylor homered in Monday’s win, and the Dodgers have eight extra-base hits in the series.
The Dodgers will likely have a bullpen game on Wednesday with multiple pitchers getting 1-2 innings. Another option would be Mitch White (1-2, 3.49), who started twice in August and threw 7 ⅓ innings out of the bullpen against the Pirates on August 18. He has gone at least 3 ⅓ innings in his last four outings and blanked the Cardinals over one inning on June 1.
Cards Limping to Finish Line
Ten days ago, it looked like the Cardinals were going to be a force back into the wild card race. But then ace Jack Flaherty got hurt again and the bullpen imploded against the Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Milwaukee Brewers. That leaves St. Louis 4-6 in the last ten games and 3.5 games behind the last wild card spot.
The middle of the order has not been a problem for the Cardinals this season. Paul Goldschmidt went 3-for-4 Monday and is batting .286 with 24 homers. Nolan Arenado had both RBI Tuesday and leads the team with 90 and 28 homers. Tyler O’Neill, meanwhile, was 3-for-3 Tuesday to bump his average to .278 with 23 homers.
Wainwright is tied for second in all of baseball with 14 wins, two behind the Dodgers’ Julio Urias while leading the league with three complete games. He is also top 10 in the Majors in ERA (2.91), WHIP (1.03), innings (176), and average against (.215).
At home, this season, Wainwright is 7-5 with a 2.58 ERA, and he is 7-2 with a 1.92 ERA since the All-Star break. He didn’t face the Dodgers back in May and allowed just one earned run over 6 ⅓ innings while beating Milwaukee on Friday. The matchup everyone wants to see is Wainwright against Pujols, who is 0-for-3 against his former Cardinals teammate.
Betting Analysis
- Los Angeles Dodgers -130 Moneyline. -1.5 (+130) run line
- St. Louis Cardinals +110 Moneyline +1.5 (-150) run line
- Total: 8.5 runs O -105, U -115
Although he lost 2-0 to Milwaukee on August 17, the Cardinals have not lost a game in which they scored a run for Wainwright since July 16. Assuming they can get something going against a non-traditional Dodgers starter, that stat could be put on the line Wednesday night. Wainwright will do his thing and go 6-7 innings, but can a super shaky bullpen hold off the Dodgers late? That’s what makes it tough to take the veteran and the Cardinals on the money line.
Free Pick: Under 8.5 runs (-115)
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