Washington (0-0) at St Louis (0-0)
When: Friday, October 11th 2019
Where: Busch Stadium,
St Louis, Missouri
Time: 8:08 ET | TV: TBS
Opening Odds: St Louis -120/8.5
According to oddsmakers, the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers were supposed to be playing in the NLCS, but two resilient teams in the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals didn’t care. The matchup is set for Game 1 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis as the Cardinals host the Nationals in the National League Championship Series that should be really competitive. Both clubs have come up with timely hits and strong pitching in getting to this point. St. Louis used a shocking 10-run first inning on Wednesday to win Game 5 of their NLDS against the Braves, with Marcell Ozuna and Paul Goldschmidt leading the way with .429 batting averages in the series. Washington trailed 2-1 in the series and 3-1 in Game 5 before back-to-back solo homers off reliever Clayton Kershaw brought the team back to life. L.A. couldn’t do anything off the Nationals bullpen and Howie Kendrick provided the big blow with a grand slam in the 10th inning of a 7-3 victory. The Nationals, who were 19-31 at one point this season, are playing in the franchise’s first NLCS since the Montreal Expos lost in five games to the Dodgers in 1981. St. Louis took five of the seven meetings during the regular season including two of three at home back in the middle of September.
Pitchers: Nationals – Anibal Sanchez (0-0, 1.80 ERA) | Cardinals – Miles Mikolas (1-0, 1.50)
Sanchez is back in a championship series for the first time since pitching for the Detroit Tigers in 2013 and is 2-5 with a 2.98 ERA in nine career postseason games (eight starts). He came away with a no-decision in Game 3 of the NLDS after pitching five innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out nine. Sanchez was not sharp in his only outing against the Cardinals this season, allowing three runs, five hits, and two walks over five frames of a 3-2 loss.
Mikolas also received a no-decision in his only NLDS start against Atlanta despite a solid effort. The righty allowed one run on just three hits over five innings, but only had two strikeouts. Then he came on in Game 4 to earn a victory by pitching just one inning when Yadier Molina provided a walk-off RBI in the bottom of the 10th. Mikolas pitched 12 innings over two starts versus the Nationals this season, allowing four runs and 15 hits in splitting those two contests.
This series has seven games written all over it and both teams come in with some momentum. We’ll see some great pitching throughout this series, but I’m predicting not so much in Game 1. I believe both offenses can get to their starting pitchers and I still don’t have much faith in the Washington bullpen despite a great performance in Game 5 against the Dodgers. Take the over.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Friday. He finished 135-95 +2686 units in the regular season!
Pick: OVER 8 -110
BETTING TRENDS:
Nationals are 8-0 in their last 8 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Nationals are 8-1 in their last 9 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Nationals are 11-2 in their last 13 vs. a team with a winning record.
Nationals are 9-2 in their last 11 games following a win.
Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Nationals are 15-4 in their last 19 vs. National League Central.
Nationals are 6-2 in their last 8 Friday games.
Nationals are 12-5 in their last 17 games following an off day.
Nationals are 36-16 in their last 52 overall.
Nationals are 36-16 in their last 52 games on grass.
Nationals are 5-1 in Sanchez’s last 6 road starts.
Nationals are 4-1 in Sanchez’s last 5 starts with 4 days of rest.
Nationals are 4-1 in Sanchez’s last 5 Friday starts.
Nationals are 5-2 in Sanchez’s last 7 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Nationals are 5-2 in Sanchez’s last 7 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cardinals are 4-1 in their last 5 League Championship home games.
Cardinals are 4-1 in their last 5 during game 6 of a series.
Cardinals are 7-2 in their last 9 games following a win.
Cardinals are 16-6 in their last 22 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Cardinals are 16-6 in their last 22 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 21-9 in their last 30 home games.
Cardinals are 7-3 in their last 10 Friday games.
Cardinals are 1-4 in their last 5 League Championship games.
Cardinals are 1-5 in their last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Cardinals are 9-3 in Mikolas’ last 12 starts vs. National League East.
Cardinals are 6-2 in Mikolas’ last 8 starts.
Cardinals are 6-2 in Mikolas’ last 8 starts on grass.
Cardinals are 14-5 in Mikolas’ last 19 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 15-6 in Mikolas’ last 21 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cardinals are 5-2 in Mikolas’ last 7 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cardinals are 16-7 in Mikolas’ last 23 home starts.
Cardinals are 1-4 in Mikolas’ last 5 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cardinals are 1-5 in Mikolas’ last 6 Friday starts.
Under is 3-0-1 in Nationals last 4 vs. National League Central.
Under is 6-1 in Nationals last 7 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-1-1 in Nationals last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 4-1-1 in Nationals last 6 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Nationals last 5 playoff road games.
Under is 4-1-1 in Nationals last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 5-2-1 in Nationals last 8 games following a win.
Over is 5-2 in Nationals last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 32-15-5 in Nationals last 52 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Over is 7-3 in Sanchez’s last 10 starts on grass.
Over is 7-3 in Sanchez’s last 10 starts overall.
Under is 7-3 in Sanchez’s last 10 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-0-1 in Cardinals last 5 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Over is 4-0 in Cardinals last 4 League Championship games.
Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 home games.
Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 7-2 in Cardinals last 9 on grass.
Over is 7-2 in Cardinals last 9 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 7-2 in Cardinals last 9 overall.
Over is 10-3 in Cardinals last 13 playoff games.
Under is 13-4-1 in Cardinals last 18 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 3-1-1 in Cardinals last 5 during game 6 of a series.
Over is 5-2 in Cardinals last 7 Friday games.
Under is 7-3 in Cardinals last 10 playoff home games.
Under is 35-16 in Cardinals last 51 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 13-6-1 in Cardinals last 20 League Championship home games.
Under is 5-0-1 in Mikolas’ last 6 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 3-0-1 in Mikolas’ last 4 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 9-1-2 in Mikolas’ last 12 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 4-1 in Mikolas’ last 5 Friday starts.
Over is 3-1-1 in Mikolas’ last 5 starts on grass.
Over is 3-1-1 in Mikolas’ last 5 starts overall.
Under is 8-3-1 in Mikolas’ last 12 home starts.
Under is 5-2-1 in Mikolas’ last 8 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 3-0-2 in the last 5 meetings in St. Louis.
Under is 5-0-1 in the last 6 meetings.
Nationals are 15-37 in the last 52 meetings in St. Louis.
Nationals are 2-7 in the last 9 meetings.
