Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis Cardinals Betting Odds

Betting Odds

Moneyline: St. Louis (-124)
Game Total Line: 9
Run Line: St. Louis -1.5 (+160)
(wagering lines available at 5Dimes)

The Cincinnati Reds will try and hold some ground in the NL Central when they take on the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals tonight in the last of a three-game set. Game time from Busch Stadium is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. (ET) and it will be available on MLB TV.

Cincinnati has fallen four games back in the NL Central after two straight losses to St. Louis including an 8-1 pasting as a 119 road underdog last night. The total went over the eight-run line. The Reds are now 1-4 in their last five games and are under .500 for the year at 43-44. They are 23-21 at home and 20-23 on the road.

The normally productive Cincinnati lineup has sputtered these past five games with a total of 11 runs counting a 7-5 win over Cleveland this past Sunday. The team’s season scoring average is 4.67 runs per game which is ranked second in the National League. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, who have combined for 103 RBI this season, have knocked in a total of two runs during this recent swoon.

Bronson Arroyo is slated to get the start tonight for the Reds. He is 7-7 this year with a 5.49 ERA in 17 previous outings. Long ball hitters have feasted on Arroyo this season as he has given up a NL-high 24 home runs so far. This past Friday against the Indians, he gave up three homers in 4.2 innings to get tagged with the loss. He is 7-11 with an ERA of 4.57 lifetime against the Cardinals.

St. Louis has now won three of its last five games and is 6-4 in its last 10. The Cardinals lead the pesky Pittsburgh Pirates by a game and a half in the division. They are 47-40 overall; 24-22 on the road and 23-18 at Busch Stadium.

The home crowds’ anticipation could run high for this game as All-Star first baseman Albert Pujols has been cleared to play after breaking a bone in his wrist on June 19. The early return would be a welcomed sight given that St. Louis is just 7-7 with him out of the lineup.

Jake Westbrook is expected to be on the mound for the Cardinals. He is coming off one of his best outings of the season after holding Tampa Bay scoreless on two hits in seven innings of work. The right hander is 7-4 this year with a 4.92 ERA. Lifetime against the Reds, he is 2-1 with an ERA of 3.13.

C.B. Bucknor will be tonight’s home plate umpire. In 17 previous called-games this season, the average number of runs scored was 8.65 and the total went ‘over’ nine times.

Cincinnati is 20-19 as an underdog this season. The total has gone ‘over’ in three of its last five games and in 45 of 87 games overall this year.

St. Louis is 34-24 as a favorite. The total has stayed ‘under’ in six of its last nine games but has gone ‘over’ in 48 of 87 games this season.

Head-to-head, the series is deadlocked at four games apiece overall but the Cardinals have a 4-1 edge at home. The total has stayed ‘under’ in three of the five games at Busch Stadium, but is 5-3 overall.

MLB Betting Pick

Westbrook blanked the Reds earlier this season in St. Louis and is poised to shut them down again tonight to complete the three-game sweep. Take the Cardinals -124 at 5Dimes and get reduced Juice and 5 Cent MLB Overnight Lines!!