ODDS ANALYSIS
The Cardinals and Dodgers renew acquaintances, meeting for the second time in less than a week with a four-game set at Dodger Stadium.
The team’s played four games in LA last season with the Dodgers taking three.
St. Louis took two of three from LA over the weekend in what was a low-scoring series. The Cards outscored the Dodgers 7-6 in the three games with all three cashing the under. St. Louis had a difficult time getting any offense against Milwaukee scoring just once in the first two games of that series, but earned a split in a pair of 1-0 games. Tuesday’s win over the Brewers was St. Louis’ sixth straight under the scoreline and the under is 31-19-2 for the season.
Coors Field has a way of waking up bats and that’s what happened with the Dodgers, who scored 11 runs in a series-opening win Monday and tallied nine times in the second game of a twin-bill Tuesday. It could be a sign the Dodgers are breaking out or, more likely, it’s the thin air in Denver and the Rockies pitching staff. The over is 19-8-1 at Dodger Stadium, but the Cards have the best staff in baseball and the matchup between Michael Wacha and Carlos Frias cashed the under Saturday in St. Louis.
PITCHING MATCHUP
St. Louis’ Michael Wacha (7-1, 2.27 ERA) suffered his first loss of the season in his last start, giving up four runs on three hits in 5.2 innings to the Dodgers on Saturday. His stuff was sharp early and he didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning when the Dodgers knocked him out. The Cards are 9-1 in his starts this season.
Saturday’s start was Wacha’s first regular season appearance against LA after going 2-0 without allowing a run in 13.2 innings in the 2013 NLCS.
LA’s Carlos Frias (4-2, 4.29 ERA) is slated to make his second start in a row in his second career appearance against the Cardinals after pitching a career-high seven innings while outdueling Michael Wacha in a 5-1 win Saturday. He surrendered one unearned run and five hits one outing after getting rocked for 10 runs and 12 hits in four innings against San Diego.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I just started leaving balls over the middle of the plate. They were putting good at-bats up against me and ended up fouling off a lot of pitches. But I’ve got to be able to get out of that inning without that kind of damage. I still felt strong the whole time out there. I just have to do a better job of managing counts in that situation and slowing it down.” – Cards’ Michael Wacha after allowing four sixth-inning runs to LA on Saturday in his first loss of the season
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
There aren’t a lot of household names out in the Cardinals bullpen but when manager Mike Matheny makes the call the group has, more times than not, done the job. The Cards have the lowest bullpen ERA in the National League and the most saves while allowing just nine home runs. Trevor Rosenthal has been a shutdown closer with 16 saves and miniscule 0.71 ERA and they have the arms that allow Matheny to play the matchup game in late-inning situations.
PROP TALK
Dodgers’ talented rookie Joc Pederson displayed his sweet swing and raw power against the Rockies at Coors Field. Pederson homered in the series opener Monday and followed with a couple of tape-measure jobs – one in each game of the doubleheader – Tuesday, giving him a home run in four straight games and 16 overall, putting him on pace for a rookie record 50. His two home runs Tuesday travelled an estimated 949 feet and were two of the longest hit this season. Pederson is an equal opportunity slugger splitting his 16 homers between Dodger Stadium and away ballparks. Wacha doesn’t give up a lot but watch for Pederson to connect.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Dodgers snapped out of a recent scoring drought with a visit to Coors Field but those road trips tend to skew offensive numbers. They aren’t as bad as they were before visiting the Rockies and they certainly are not as devastating as they’ve been in Colorado. The Dodgers suffered another blow with top reserve Scott Van Slyke going on the DL. His loss limits the moves manager Don Mattingly can make off his bench.
LA is a strong team at home but don’t expect Carlos Frias to outpitch Michael Wacha again. Wacha has put together a Cy Young campaign through his first 10 starts with the Cards winning nine times in those games. Wacha gets the best of Frias, who was tagged for 12 hits and 10 runs the last time he toed the Dodger Stadium rubber.
St. Louis 5, Los Angeles 2
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers is scheduled for Thursday, June 4, 2015, at 10:10 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium. You can watch the contest live on the MLB Network.
