Game Information
St. Louis Cardinals (47-39) at Pittsburgh Pirates (36-50)
Time: 5:40pm CT Tuesday
How to watch: FanDuel Sports Network
Probable pitchers: Andre Pallante (5-4, 4.43 ERA) vs Paul Skenes (4-7, 2.12 ERA)
DraftKings Odds
Moneyline: Pirates -169, Cardinals +138
Total: 7.5 (over +102, under -123)
Can Cards Extend Mastery Over Skenes?
The St. Louis Cardinals have had Paul Skenes’ number during his career, and they’ll get another crack at him tonight when they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second of a three-game set.
Skenes is 0-4 in five career starts against the Redbirds. However, the Cards have not knocked him around much. Skenes has a 2.76 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in those five outings.
Feast Or Famine For Redbirds
It has been feast or famine for the Cardinals lately. They are 6-4 over their last 10 games and are averaging 7.2 runs per game in their six wins. However in their four losses, they are scoring just 0.25 runs per game and have been shut out three times.
It’ll be Andre Pallante on the hill tonight for the Redbirds. The Pirates have been a favorable opponent for Pallante in his career, as he has a 2.65 ERA in 16 games (3 starts) against them.
Pirates Continue Winning Ways
The Pirates have tied their season high by winning four straight games, and they have won those four games over the Mets and Cardinals by a combined score of 37-4.
The last time they lost a game was with Skenes on the mound. He allowed 4 runs in 4 innings in a 4-2 loss to the Brewers. In the start before that, Skenes pitched 6 innings of 2-run ball against the Tigers, but he did have 5 walks in that game.
My Pick
The Cardinals have been Skenes’ nemesis and it’s possible they are catching him at the right time, as he hasn’t been particularly sharp in his last two starts. But I think it’s very apparent the Cards are catching Pittsburgh at the wrong time, as the Pirates are in the midst of their best stretch of the season.
I think this is the night Skenes gets off the schneid against the Cardinals. Pallante pulled a bit of a Houdini act to survive with a decent start against the Cubs his last time out, but the Pirates’ bats are sizzling right now and I am expecting them to do some damage tonight.
Skenes has permitted 2 runs or less in 14 of his 17 starts this season, and while the Cards have the good history against him, that mastery is not going to last forever. I think the circumstances of how the Pirates are playing right now and who is pitching for the Cardinals makes this the ideal time to take Pittsburgh to win.
Pick: Pirates -1 at -117 on DraftKings (bet to -120)
Eric Sontag hosts Domesticated Gamblers every Friday on the STL Sports Central YouTube channel. Follow him on X @GamblingDads, and click here for his daily picks on all of our St. Louis area sports teams. Picks = betting the game - minus odds betting to win 1 unit, plus odds risking 1 unit. Leans = no strong opinion, not betting the game. Disclaimer