Cardinals at Nationals MLB Odds & Picks: The St. Louis Cardinals, reeling after losing two out of three games to the Pittsburgh Pirates and falling to 3 1/2 games behind the NL Central leaders Cincinnati Reds, travel to our Nations Capitol to play a four game weekend series with the Washington Nationals. Looking to end their two game losing skid, the Cards will trot out former Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter. So far this year, Carpenter owns a 2.88 ERA to go along with a 14-4 record. Countering Carpenter for Washington will be Jordan Zimmermann. The Nationals right-hander has no major league record this year.
Bodog.com oddsmakers list Carpenter and the Cardinals as -188 moneyline favorites versus the Nats with a posted total of 7 1/2. Nats backers are getting +168 odds as a home underdog with Zimmermann pitching.
Carpenter played stopper in his last start, snapping the Redbirds five-game skid with 7 1/3 dominant frames in a win over the Giants. He's gone at least seven innings in each of his starts since the All-Star break, with a 1.99 ERA and five wins.
Zimmermann will take Stephen Strasburg's place in the rotation starting on Thursday against the Cardinals. Zimmermann will make his first appearance of the season after recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The Cardinals were dumped 5-2 by the Pirates on Wednesday, as -185 favorites. That game's seven runs went UNDER the posted 8 1/2 total set by Bodog. Jake Westbrook surrendered six hits and four runs over six innings in the loss.
The Nationals were shut out 4-0 by the Cubs last time out, as +105 underdogs. The teams played UNDER the 8 1/2 total. Jason Marquis suffered the Nationals loss, giving up four hits and one run over his 7 1-3 innings.
MLB picks: We will fall short of predicting the Cardinals, with Carpenter pitching, a sure thing because anything can happen. Take the Cards at -188.
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