The St. Louis Cardinals, sporting a record of 79-77, are determined to end their three-game road losing streak as they prepare to take on the Colorado Rockies, who stand at 60-96, in the opening match of a three-game series this Tuesday night. This clash will unfold at Coors Field, with the first pitch scheduled for 8:40 PM ET.
Michael McGreevy, boasting a record of 2-0 and an impressive 0.90 ERA, will be on the mound for the Cardinals. The Rockies will respond with Ryan Feltner, who has a record of 3-10 and a 4.73 ERA.
Recent matchups between Colorado and St. Louis have been evenly matched, with the teams splitting their last 10 encounters.
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Cardinals Aim for Series Victory
The Cardinals have shown resilience lately, winning four out of their last six games. They previously split a four-game series against the Rockies in June and are now eyeing a regular-season series victory in this matchup.
St. Louis averages 4.08 runs per game, holding a batting average of .246, which ranks 13th in the league. Their on-base percentage stands at .310, placing them 15th, while their slugging percentage of .388 ranks 21st.
Brendan Donovan leads the team with a .273 batting average, while Alec Burleson stands out with 21 home runs and 73 RBIs.
However, the Cardinals’ pitching has been a concern, allowing 4.03 runs per game. Opponents currently hit .248 against them, ranking 23rd in the league. Their 4.07 ERA sits at 16th, and they have a WHIP of 1.26, which ranks 18th overall.
In his last outing, McGreevy delivered a stellar performance, giving up just two hits and no runs over three innings, contributing to a 10-5 victory against Pittsburgh. The Cardinals will rely on a similar showing from him to secure a win.
Rockies Pursuing Their Third Straight Series Win
Colorado has found some success at home recently, earning series victories against the Cubs and Diamondbacks. They aim to maintain this momentum with a win over the Cardinals, which could lead to their fourth win in the last six matchups against St. Louis.
The Rockies are averaging 4.23 runs per game, with a batting average of .241 that ranks 19th in the league. Their on-base percentage is .303, placing them at 24th, while their slugging percentage of .400 ranks 14th.
Ezequiel Tover leads Colorado with a .266 batting average and 74 RBIs, while Michael Toglia tops the team with 25 home runs.
Despite their offensive capabilities, Colorado’s pitching has struggled, surrendering 5.26 runs per game. The Rockies have the lowest opponent batting average in the league, sitting at .283. Their ERA of 5.38 and WHIP of 1.51 also rank last among teams.
Feltner’s last start was more promising, as he allowed five hits and just one run in 5.2 innings, leading to an 8-2 victory over Arizona. The Rockies will need him to continue this trend to secure a win against the Cardinals.
Strategic Bets for Cardinals vs. Rockies
The Rockies have won four of their last six games played at home, while the Cardinals have struggled, losing four of their last six when playing on the road. Offensively, Colorado has shown strength, scoring 15 runs in their last three home games, whereas St. Louis managed only seven runs in the same span away from home. Given their recent success against right-handed pitchers, the Rockies are expected to score effectively against McGreevy, who has given up two runs in 10 innings pitched during recent games.
The Cardinals have faced challenges with their bullpen, having allowed five runs in McGreevy’s last two starts. This trend could make it difficult for them to contain the Rockies’ offense. With St. Louis struggling at the plate, they may find it hard to compete, particularly since Feltner has performed well recently, allowing only four runs across his last three starts. Notably, he did not give up an earned run during his previous encounter with the Cardinals this season. Thus, it would be prudent to lean towards Colorado covering the money line in this matchup.
