Cards Return their Number 1 – Chicago vs. St. Louis

Game Match-up: 5/20 8:15 ET

Last night’s MLB match-up between the Chicago Cubs (21-16, +$65) and St. Louis Cardinals (22-17, +$226) was exactly the snooze fest we predicted. Ted Lilly churned out another quality start (7 IP, 4 Hits, 3 ER’s, 5/3 K/BB ratio), but Joel Pineiro was better. The right-hander snapped his losing streak at three by tossing a complete game three-hit shut-out to earn his club’s MLB betting backers a solid wire-to-wire victory. His efforts, along with both clubs combining for just eight hits, allowed us to cash our MLB wager on the ‘under’ with ease. The victory improved the Cardinals home record to 13-8 (+$247), and put an end to their three game losing streak as well. Leave it to the Cubs to make the Redbirds look like world beaters after they had struggled to a 3-7 mark their previous 10. With the loss, Chicago is now a .500 road team (9-9) and cost the baseball betting public $87 on the year. St. Louis now holds a 4-3 season series advantage over their most hated rivals, and has won three of the four meetings in Busch Stadium. Both clubs have performed well in this spot as the Redbirds are 5-3 in Game 2 of a series if they won the previous game, while Chicago counters with a 4-2 mark in Game 2 if they dropped the series opener.

Chris Carpenter and the host Cardinals currently sit as -130 home favorites at the BetOnline Sportsbook over Ryan Dempster and the Cubs for tonight’s baseball betting match-up; the game ‘total’ currently sits at 8 over -110.

Ryan Dempster will toe the Busch Stadium rubber for the second time this season when he makes his ninth start of the year tonight. To date, Dempster’s 3-2 with a 4.65 ERA and 1.29 WHIP allowing just 44 hits in 50+ total innings with a K/BB ratio of 46/21. He bounced back from his nightmarish effort at Miller Park to throw seven-innings of two run ball against the San Diego Padres to secure his third win of the season. He failed to grab a decision in either of his two starts against the redbirds last month, and in his career vs. STL, he’s 4-4 with a 4.94 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in 13 overall starts.

It makes perfect sense that former Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter makes his return from the DL against the hated Cubs. Carp’s dominated the Cardinals division rivals throughout his career going 7-3 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 14 overall starts. He was nasty in each of his starts before he strained his left oblique allowing no earned runs and just five hits with a K/BB ratio of 9/2 through 10 innings of work. He’ll more than likely be on a pitch count tonight, but this savvy ace knows how to make the most of his limited work.

Following Sunday’s loss up with a shut-out certainly wasn’t what Manager Lou Piniella expected of his club last night. St. Louis’ bullpen was in tatters after getting picked apart by Milwaukee through the weekend; leave it to the Cubs to make Pineiro look like Cy Young. With Carpenter on a pitch count and Dempster looking to string back-to-back quality starts for the first time this season, look for Chicago to even this series up at a game apiece and cash as small road underdogs…

Rose’s Recommendation: 2* Chicago +110

(Rating Scale: 1* – 5*)