The Saint Louis Cardinals are 2½ games back of the Colorado Rockies for the second National League wild card spot and will try to inch closer when they go for the series sweep tonight over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. The Cardinals have had success over the Reds, going 6-1 in the last 7 meetings, and 4-0 in their last 4 trips to Cincinnati. St. Louis is expected to call on Carlos Martínez to throw strikes. Martínez comes into tonight’s contest with a record of 11-11, a 3.57 ERA, and a 1.19 WHIP. Homer Bailey is expected to go for the Reds and he has struggled, with a record of 5-8, a 6.86 ERA, a 1.72 WHIP, and Cincinnati is 2-7 in his last 9 home starts.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ST. LOUIS CARDINALS