After their matchup in last year’s National League Championship Series, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers meet again, this time in the NL Division Series. With both teams coming off a significant rest after winning their respective divisions, this series will start with an all-world pitching match up as St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright starts opposite Los Angeles’ Clayton Kershaw.
Which ace will take one step closer to the National League Pennant, and ultimately the World Series? Get yourself informed with our complete series preview here. In the meantime, read on for everything you’ll need to know heading into this heated matchup.
[sc:MLBArticles ]St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers NLDS Game 1 Betting Preview and Prediction
Series Schedule & Results
Game 1 – Friday, October 3, St. Louis Cardinals (+170) at Los Angeles Dodgers (-200); total 5.5 – view all MLB lines
Game 2 – Saturday, October 4, St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers
Game 3 – Monday, October 6, Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals
Game 4* – Tuesday, October 7, Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals
Game 5* – Thursday, October 9, St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers
*if necessary
Betting on the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis ace Adam Wainwright (20-9, 2.38 ERA) could not be any hotter heading into the postseason. He has won five straight and pitched 21 consecutive innings of no run ball, including a complete game shutout of the Milwaukee Brewers on September 17.
[sc:MLB240banner ]However, Wainwright hasn’t been able to find the win column against Los Angeles. He is 0-3 despite a 2.45 ERA in his last three starts against them (one in last year’s National League Championship Series), having surrendered six runs over 22 innings.
At the plate, the Cardinals should be surprisingly confident against Clayton Kershaw. They got to the Dodgers ace for eight runs on 12 hits in 10 innings of play for two losses in the NLCS last year. Still, Kershaw is not to be underestimated. He blanked St. Louis’ RBI leader (90) Matt Holliday in five at-bats this season. Matt Adams has gone 1-for-3 against the Dodgers ace, while the team’s home run leader Jhonny Peralta (21) has gone 2-for-5 with a run scored.
The St. Louis Cardinals are 1-4 at Dodger Stadium this season.
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Betting on the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are in good hands with Clayton Kershaw (21-3, 1.77 ERA) on the mound. The Dodgers have won 19 of their last 20 games starting the two-time Cy Young Award winner.
The majors’ ERA king impressed in his final game of the regular season, surrendering one run and striking out 11 over eight innings against San Francisco on September 24. Against the Cardinals, Kershaw struck out 13 and issued two walks over seven scoreless innings in a 6-0 win on June 29.
The Dodgers are already formidable opponents with Kershaw on the mound, and their bats take it from there. The Dodgers’ hitting ranks in the top six in runs (718), batting average (.265), and slugging (.406), while topping the majors in on-base percentage (.333).
Matt Kemp, in particular, wielded a hot bat toward the end of the regular season going 5-for-12 with two homers in a four-game hitting streak. Meanwhile, Adrian Gonzalez homered twice in back-to-back games. Whether they continue their hot streaks remains to be seen as Kemp and Gonzalez have gone a combined 0-for-6 against Wainwright this season.
The Dodgers have won their last five home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Kershaw gets his revenge for last year’s NLCS losses as the Dodgers (-200) win Game 1.
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