The Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals are meeting for a three game series this week in the desert. Game two of the series features a terrific pitching matchup, and runs may be at a premium.The Cardinals defeated the Diamondbacks in the series opener, 6-3..
The Arizona Diamondbacks were one of baseball’s hottest teams in the month of June, but they ended the month getting swept by the San Francisco Giants. The Diamondbacks still lead the National League West, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are closing the gap. The St. Louis Cardinals have struggled to find consistency all season, and find themselves in third place in the National League Central. The Arizona Diamondbacks are -135 over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.
Greinke Starts For D-Backs
Veteran right hander, Zack Greinke, will make the start for the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. Greinke has been one of the best pitchers in baseball in recent years, and is having a solid season for the D-Backs. Greinke is 8-5 with a 3.41 earned run average through the first half of the season, and looks to improve upon these numbers on Tuesday.
After struggling through the first two months of the season, Paul Goldschmidt had a monster month of June to lead the Arizona ballclub. The Diamondbacks first baseman is one of the top players in the National League, and is putting up great numbers again. Goldschmidt has hit 18 home runs and driven in 44 runs to lead the Diamondbacks. The Cardinals will try to find a way to slow down the perennial All-Star this series.
Cardinals Offense Falling Short
The St. Louis Cardinals have struggled to find consistent offense this season, and must improve if they are going to make a run at the playoffs. The Cardinals have scored 350 runs so far this season, which ranks 20th in baseball. Tommy Pham and Dexter Fowler are two of the Cardinals stars that have struggled mightily this season. The Cardinals have talented players, but must find some production in the second half of the season.
Young right hander, Jack Flaherty, will make the start for the Cardinals in game two of the series. Flaherty has bounced around between St. Louis and the minor leagues but has pitched great when given the opportunity. Flaherty is 3-3 with a 2.92 ERA through 11 starts this season, but was roughed up in his last outing against the Cleveland Indians.
Greinke, Arizona Wins Game 2
Both the Cardinals and Diamondbacks had playoff aspirations before the season, but Arizona is the only one who looks like a playoff team at this moment. The Cardinals have had great pitching all season, but their offense has let them down. St. Louis faces a tough challenge against Greinke in game two of the series.
The Diamondbacks were one of the best teams in June, and now look to stay hot as the calendar shifts to July. Arizona has a solid roster with Paul Goldschmidt leading the way. Look for the D-Backs offense to make things rough for young Jack Flaherty and win on Tuesday night. Taking the Arizona Diamondbacks -135 over the St. Louis Cardinals is the best bet of the day.
