Atlanta Braves Reeling With Cardinals In Town
Now the Braves can't even win at home. Atlanta opened its series by dropping an 11-4 decision to the Cards who were heavily favored, and now face Chris Carpenter in Game 2.
The playoff race in baseball, specifically the National League, was triggered heading into this weekend's schedule by two crucial four-game series that started Thursday evening. The battle for the NL West pennant got underway in San Diego with the Giants drawing first blood Thursday in a 7-3 win over the Padres. You can read about Friday's game between the two West Coast rivals in Bob Harvey's preview.
Series #2 in the discussion finds the St. Louis Cardinals at the Atlanta Braves. That's the series I'm most interested in since I have various futures on the two clubs involved. No matter who wins or loses in this series, I'm going to win and lose. Or maybe lose and lose. I'm certainly not going to win-win. You're welcome, Mr. Book.
Mr. Book and his offshore brethren opened Game 2 of the Cards, Braves series with St. Louis carrying 135-140 road chalk into the contest. MLB odds were in agreement on the total to start with, 7½ with the 'under' a little more expensive.
Game 1 between the Redbirds and Braves also closed right at a pick 'em. Most baseball bettors got St. Louis as 110 favorites or thereabouts, and the Cards came through behind Adam Wainwright on the mound and Colby Rasmus' 2-HR, 4-RBI performance at the plate for an 11-4 rout over Atlanta. It marked the fifth straight win for the Cardinals over the Braves this season after sweeping a four-game home set from Atlanta in late April.
Chris Carpenter (21-9, 2.90) got in on that sweep in Gateway City, picking up the win over Derek Lowe and the Braves on April 27. Carpenter worked six, allowed three hits and two runs, and St. Louis cashed as a 170 money line favorite.
The big right-hander has been very consistent, with St. Louis bats or gloves to blame in several of the nine losses the team has suffered in 30 Carpenter outings. Cardinals hitters managed three runs or less in five of the nine defeats.
Mike Minor (3-2, 5.33) will make his sixth major league start, and third in front of the home fans. A top draft pick in 2009, Minor has made a very quick ascent into the bigs. St. Louis hitters will obviously be seeing him for the first time, and the initial confrontation between Minor and Albert Pujols will be interesting to watch.
Minor is off his first bad outing, a 7-6 loss on the road to the Marlins last Sunday. He struck out five in four innings without a walk, a good sign for a rookie. But the Fish whacked a lot of what he threw, with seven extra base knocks among their nine hits.
The elder Welke Brother, Tim, should have the plate in Game 2 on Friday. The 'under' is 17-10-2 when Tim Welke works the dish this season, but the 'over' has chased three of his last four games.
Cloudy, muggy and highs in the upper 80s are the forecast for Atlanta during the day. There's a 30 percent chance of showers in the early evening according to the Weather Channel.
Saturday's pitching matchup finds Jake Westbrook (2-5, 3.89) for the Cardinals against Atlanta's Tommy Hanson (16-13, 3.58). My ol' pal Bob Harvey will preview Sunday night's ESPN telecast that has Kyle Lohse (5-8, 7.13) opposing Tim Hudson (17-12, 2.41).
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
Now the Braves can't even win at home. Atlanta opened its series by dropping an 11-4 decision to the Cards who were heavily favored, and now face Chris Carpenter in Game 2.
The playoff race in baseball, specifically the National League, was triggered heading into this weekend's schedule by two crucial four-game series that started Thursday evening. The battle for the NL West pennant got underway in San Diego with the Giants drawing first blood Thursday in a 7-3 win over the Padres. You can read about Friday's game between the two West Coast rivals in Bob Harvey's preview.
Series #2 in the discussion finds the St. Louis Cardinals at the Atlanta Braves. That's the series I'm most interested in since I have various futures on the two clubs involved. No matter who wins or loses in this series, I'm going to win and lose. Or maybe lose and lose. I'm certainly not going to win-win. You're welcome, Mr. Book.
Mr. Book and his offshore brethren opened Game 2 of the Cards, Braves series with St. Louis carrying 135-140 road chalk into the contest. MLB odds were in agreement on the total to start with, 7½ with the 'under' a little more expensive.
Game 1 between the Redbirds and Braves also closed right at a pick 'em. Most baseball bettors got St. Louis as 110 favorites or thereabouts, and the Cards came through behind Adam Wainwright on the mound and Colby Rasmus' 2-HR, 4-RBI performance at the plate for an 11-4 rout over Atlanta. It marked the fifth straight win for the Cardinals over the Braves this season after sweeping a four-game home set from Atlanta in late April.
Chris Carpenter (21-9, 2.90) got in on that sweep in Gateway City, picking up the win over Derek Lowe and the Braves on April 27. Carpenter worked six, allowed three hits and two runs, and St. Louis cashed as a 170 money line favorite.
The big right-hander has been very consistent, with St. Louis bats or gloves to blame in several of the nine losses the team has suffered in 30 Carpenter outings. Cardinals hitters managed three runs or less in five of the nine defeats.
Mike Minor (3-2, 5.33) will make his sixth major league start, and third in front of the home fans. A top draft pick in 2009, Minor has made a very quick ascent into the bigs. St. Louis hitters will obviously be seeing him for the first time, and the initial confrontation between Minor and Albert Pujols will be interesting to watch.
Minor is off his first bad outing, a 7-6 loss on the road to the Marlins last Sunday. He struck out five in four innings without a walk, a good sign for a rookie. But the Fish whacked a lot of what he threw, with seven extra base knocks among their nine hits.
The elder Welke Brother, Tim, should have the plate in Game 2 on Friday. The 'under' is 17-10-2 when Tim Welke works the dish this season, but the 'over' has chased three of his last four games.
Cloudy, muggy and highs in the upper 80s are the forecast for Atlanta during the day. There's a 30 percent chance of showers in the early evening according to the Weather Channel.
Saturday's pitching matchup finds Jake Westbrook (2-5, 3.89) for the Cardinals against Atlanta's Tommy Hanson (16-13, 3.58). My ol' pal Bob Harvey will preview Sunday night's ESPN telecast that has Kyle Lohse (5-8, 7.13) opposing Tim Hudson (17-12, 2.41).
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
No seriously, they've been struggling big time against them & until they show me they can beat one I'm not backing them. If they couldnt hit those two turds I sure don't feel good about them going up against a pitcher theyve never seen who is better than those two shit heaps from Mil who shut them down.
