Last Updated on July 9, 2016 12:18 pm by Brad Burns
Brewers taking advantage of wounded Cards
With the first half of the season coming to a close, the Cardinals clearly need a breather. Getting through the next two contests in Milwaukee will be hard enough as it is.
The division rivals continue their pre-All-Star break series this afternoon, with a 2:10 p.m. ET first pitch at Miller Park. Online sports book Bovada.lv gives the visitors odds of -160 to rebound from last night’s 4-3 defeat. The Brewers, on the other hand, enter as +140 underdogs.
Not only did the Redbirds drop Friday’s opener in the bottom of the ninth inning, they suffered various personnel losses along the way. Starting hurler Michael Wacha was brought to his knees when he took a liner to the right foot in the seventh, but the righty managed to walk off the field under his own power. The situations involving Matt Holliday and Trevor Rosenthal seemingly carry more uncertainty. St. Louis’ No. 3 hitter tweaked his ankle on the bases, while Rosenthal exited prematurely because of hamstring stiffness.
In any event, manager Mike Matheny needs a huge response from Carlos Martinez in several hours. The budding ace certainly relishes every chance to confront the Brew Crew, having gone 2-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 16 outings against the organization. In the Badger State alone, he’s 2-1 with a 1.35 ERA in 10 appearances.
MLB Quick Links: Scores & Matchups | Injuries | Odds Comparison | Betting Trends | ATS Stats
Chase Anderson longs for such numbers. Craig Counsell’s option on the mound hasn’t ventured beyond the fifth since June 8, and he issued five free passes when these two clubs met a week ago. The Oklahoma product stands to tackle a less formidable lineup here, though, which should ensure scarce offense on both sides.
SATURDAY MLB FREE PICK: CARDINALS/BREWERS UNDER 9 RUNS
Want More Picks, Predictions & Odds From The Spread.com? Follow on Twitter and Facebook or Subscribe to Our News Feeds!