The St. Louis Cardinals (51-24) are going streaking. After pulverizing the Chicago Cubs by sweeping them in a three-game series, the Cards put their six-game win streak on the line later tonight against Chris Sale and the rest of the Chicago White Sox (32-42). Will the Cards extend their win streak? Or will the White Sox cool down St. Louis?
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[sc:MLBArticles ]Chicago White Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals Preview
Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis
When: Tuesday, June 30, 2015, 8:15 PM ET
Line: Chicago White Sox (+107) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (-117); total: 6.5– view all MLB lines
Betting on the Chicago White Sox
[sc:MLB240banner ]Chris Sale (6-4, 3.02 ERA) has been one heck of a strikeout machine this season, but if there’s one thing he wants to manufacture tonight, it’s a win over the streaking Cardinals.
Sale, who is eyeing to become the second pitcher in history to register 10 K’s or more in eight straight games, is winless in his last three starts. During that stretch, he went 0-2 with a 2.95 ERA. His ERA could’ve been lower if not for the ugly outing he’s had against Minnesota last Thursday, when he gave up five earned runs on nine hits in six plus innings of work in the White Sox’s 6-1 loss. He did strike out 10 batters in that game, though, to raise his total to 85 punchouts over his last seven starts.
Sale, however, needs the Sox’s offense to show some life to put the team in a better position to upset St. Louis. Chicago, which has scored just a run in each of Sale’s last three starts, will count on the bats of Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera in the series opener. Leadoff man Eaton is 9-for-22 (.409) with a pair of homers over his last five games. Cabrera, meanwhile, is 7-for-20 (.350) with a home run during the same stretch.
The under is 7-2-1 in Sale’s last 10 starts overall.
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Betting on the St. Louis Cardinals
No team has been better in stifling their opponents’ offense than the Cards this season. With the offensively-challenged Chicago team (3.47 runs per game, 28th in the majors) in town, the Cards looks to show off their pitching prowess again when they give the ball to Lance Lynn.
Lynn (5-4, 2.84) was fantastic in his previous start—his first since coming off the disabled list because of an arm injury—as he pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out six in the Cards’ 5-1 win over Miami on Thursday. Although he walked four batters, that may just be due to rust after being absent for two weeks.
Lynn should like his chances against Chicago, not only because it’s one of the worst hitting team in the majors, but also because the right-hander has been traditionally great in interleague games. Lynn is 3-1 with a 1.02 ERA in six starts against the opposite league at Busch Stadium.
Pitching aside, the Cards’ offense has also done its part in the team’s success. Take for example Jason Heyward, who is hitting .395 with four home runs and 10 RBIs over his last 11 games. Then there’s Kolten Wong, who is batting .375 (9-for-24) with six RBIs in his last six games.
The Cards are 9-0 in their last nine home games.
Writer’s Prediction
St. Louis (-117) wins, 3-2.
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