Two teams still in the hunt for the 2nd NL wild card spot continue their series on Tuesday at Citi Field. The St. Louis Cardinals have moved to just ½ a game back from the Reds after their dominating 7-0 series-opening win over the Mets on Monday. The loss for New York pushed them 3.5 out of the race, still in it but also getting close to running out of time to make a move.
Cards Playing Well
St. Louis might have been a nice fade play on Monday in their first road game in a week, but they got another dominating pitching performance from Adam Wainwright (4 hits over 6.0 IP) and cruised to a 7-0 win as just -105 favorites. That win follows taking 2 of 3 from Cincinnati and what most would consider a successful split of a 4-game series with the Dodgers, so STL is playing well right now.
The Redbirds offense showed up in the series opener, collecting 15 hits thanks in part to a 3 for 5 night from Yadier Molina and 3 hits from Harrison Bader. Paul Goldschmidt also hit his 25th home run of the season, but the big question for St. Louis is if there’s anything left in the tank after that output? This is still a Cardinals offense that had been held to 2 runs or less in 5 of 7 prior to Monday’s win.
Jake Woodford (2-3, 4.28 ERA) has a tough act to follow after Wainwright’s gem, especially making just his 6th career start. Woodford pitched 2 innings of relief against the Mets back on May 6th, allowing 2 hits and 0 runs.
Mets Ready to Regroup
New York’s 7-0 loss on Monday wasn’t all that surprising. Wainwright has now allowed 0 ER in 4 of his last 7 starts, and the Mets also came out flat after taking 2 of 3 against the Yankees in the Subway Series over the weekend in which was also a remembrance of the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
With Monday’s loss out of the way, it’s time for the Mets to get back to work trying to make up the 3.5 game gap for the 2nd NL wild card spot. New York’s offense was nonexistent on Monday with just 6 hits, but this is still a team that put up 24 runs in the three-game series with the Yankees. Plus, you’re not facing Wainwright in game two, but Woodford and likely a bevy of relievers.
New York definitely has the pitching edge on Tuesday, the major reason they are -160 favorites even after being dominated on Monday. The Mets have won three of the last four Marcus Stroman ( 9-12, 3.87 ERA) starts and the right-hander has allowed 2 ER or less in 5 of his last 7.
Cardinals at Mets Pick
The Mets coming out flat on Monday was expected after the big Yankees series over the weekend. New York has gotten that out of their system, and gets a huge boost from -103 in the opener to -160 favorites with Stroman on the mound Tuesday. Follow the line, as the Cardinals offense will get shut down in this one – it’s just up to the Mets offense to come through.
Mets 5 – Cardinals 2
Pick: Mets -1.5
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