A nail-biting finish took place last night between two playoff hopefuls, and a similar ending may be in store as the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox gear up yet again on Saturday. Join us for our MLB odds series, where our Cardinals-Red Sox prediction and pick will be made.
In a game that lived up to the hype, the Cardinals came up just short as a furious ninth-inning rally wasn't enough to overcome the Red Sox. Now at 37-29, St. Louis will Look to even up the series at one game apiece will be Dakota Hudson with his 4-3 record and 3.29 ERA.
Boston managed to get out to an early lead and never looked back, as the win-now moves the Red Sox to five games above .500 at 35-30. On track for the start in game two is RHP Kutter Crawford, who has to allowed a run in his previous seven innings pitched.
Here are the Cardinals-Red Sox MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Cardinals-Red Sox Odds
St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-205)
Boston Red Sox: -1.5 (+168)
Over: 10 (-115)
Under: 10 (-105)
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Why The Cardinals Could Cover the Spread
A slow start plagued the Cardinals on Friday, as they fell too far behind and dug themselves too deep of a hole to climb out of. The opening game of this series surely did not lack any drama, as the Cardinals almost overcame a 6-1 deficit in a matter of three outs. Even with the loss, Boston should be on the lookout for how quickly the Cards can put up runs, even when they seem to be down and out.
The loss marks the first time in more than a week and a half that the Cardinals have lost two straight, which is a testament to how well they have been playing in their last few series. St. Louis hasn't had too many lengthy losing streaks on the season, and they most likely don't want to start now with a hot opponent in the Red Sox lurking in the shadows.
St. Louis is an incredibly balanced squad, so there could be many ways in which they can cover the spread this evening. Of course, it all starts with getting off to a fast start offensively. It was very uncharacteristic that the Cardinals were shut down for the majority of the game like they were, especially since their season numbers suggest that they are one of the top hitting teams in baseball.
Even more importantly will be Dakota Hudson and his outing against a dangerous Red Sox lineup. The good news is that Hudson is currently trying to prolong a four-game streak of pitching at least five or more innings. The general consensus is that we're in for another close contest between these two squads, so the importance of Hudson pitching deep into this one and making it easier for the bullpen will be vital.
Why The Red Sox Could Cover the Spread
How legit is this Red Sox bunch? Well, does winning 12 of 15 games prove that Boston is the real deal? Their play on the field certainly suggests so. Just like they have been doing over the course of the past couple of weeks, Boston has resurrected their season seemingly overnight and has grown accustomed to putting the heat on the opposition in crunch time.
With a combined, balanced attack in the batter's box and on the rubber, the Red Sox are building the momentum that is needed to compete in an extremely difficult American League East. With how good the Yankees have been this season, Boston is shockingly 13.5 games back in the division but is well in position in the Wild Card race as they only trail a 1/2 game in that race.
On paper, Boston is a top-ten team statistically offensively and pitching-wise. With the seventh-most runs scored in the game and the sixth-best ERA at 3.55, the Red Sox can easily exploit weaknesses against any foe. In regards to the Cardinals, Boston has had their number for quite some time. In fact, the Red Sox are 4-0 against the Cards in their last four meetings coming at Fenway Park.
The two biggest difference makers for the Red Sox in this one will be OF J.D. Martinez and the pitcher slated to start in Kutter Crawford. Martinez has turned back the clock by a couple of years and has been Boston's most prolific hitter with a team-leading .349 batting average while Crawford has yet to rack up a whole lot of experience from the mound. Crawford has a fairly high ERA at 5.74, so all eyes will be on the man from Okeechobee, Florida in this pivotal matchup.
Final Cardinals-Red Sox Prediction & Pick
Boston sure did make things interesting on Friday, as they had to grind out a game that wasn't really a ballgame until the final moments. Both sides have shown incredible fight throughout the year, and it wouldn't be a shock if these two evenly matched teams kept it close again. Expect a barnburner!
Final Cardinals-Red Sox Prediction & Pick: Cardinals +1.5 (-205)
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