WASHINGTON AT ST. LOUIS
The Nationals and Cardinals will wrap up a three-game series with a great pitching match up in Sunday afternoon's series finale between Carlos Martinez and Max Scherzer. Washington won the first two games and St. Louis will be looking to avoid the sweep.
Scherzer, the Nationals ace and Opening Day starter, has struggled through five starts. He owns a 4.35 ERA, the highest on the Nationals staff. He is coming off of his highest pitch total of the season, 116 pitches, in 6.0 innings. He has had back to back games of averaging just over 19 pitches per game. Not good.
Martinez has been the Cardinals' best pitcher so far this season. He has won all four of his starts and has pitched at least seven innings in three straight outings, including a career-high eight last time out. He has a 1.93 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in 2016. he is coming off of one of the best starts of his career. He held Arizona to three hits while throwing eight shutout innings for the second time in his career. Martinez has finished at least seven innings in three straight starts.
I look for St. Louis to put forth a strong effort behind their best pitch and avoid the home sweep in a low scoring game.
5* ST. LOUIS +102
2* WASH/STL U7 -120
COLORADO AT ARIZONA
This is a fade of Shelby Miller as much as anything. He is 0-2 with a 8.69 era and 1.93 whip in five outings. He has only reached 6 full innings once this year and his best pitch count has been 15.2 per inning. Now he must face the third best hitting team in baseball.
Chad Bettis gets the nod for Colorado. He's 2-1 with a 3.77 era and a whip of 1.06. At plus money and the Colorado offense behind him he is well worth a play.
2* COLORADO +107
WHITE SOX AT BALTAMORE
This is a backing of Sale. We also have two under teams CWS 6-15 and Baltamore 7-13. Add to that an under ump, Gerry Davis, 0-5 and we have to have a play on the under.
2* CWS -129
2* CWS?BALT. U7 1/2 -110