Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis Cardinals
ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — The Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals, two National League Central rivals playing out the final weeks of the season, will continue their three-game series Tuesday night at Busch Stadium.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. EDT. The Reds (75-75) evened their record with an 11-6 victory over the Cardinals (73-78) in Monday’s series opener. The season series is tied 6-6.
Cincinnati’s offense broke out Monday after being shut out twice in its previous five games. Rookie first baseman Sal Stewart led the charge, going 3 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs. Second baseman Matt McLain added two hits and two RBIs.
The Cardinals will look to bounce back after Monday’s loss, which followed a series win in Milwaukee over the weekend. In the defeat, left-hander Matthew Liberatore provided a quality start, allowing two earned runs over six innings while striking out six.
According to Interstat, the Reds are a narrow favorite with a 50.1% probability to win. Their game simulator projects a 5-4 Cincinnati victory. The pregame spread favors the Reds by 1.5 runs, with an over/under of 8.5.
Both teams are mathematically alive but face long odds in the NL Wild Card race. Following Wednesday’s series finale, the Reds will host the Chicago Cubs for four games, while the Cardinals will have an off-day before opening a three-game home series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.