MLB Betting – World Series Game 3 Cardinals vs Rangers Preview & Pick
A 2-0 World Series lead was in the St. Louis Cardinals’ grasp, as they led by a run entering the top of the ninth in Game 2, but the win slipped away.
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Date: Saturday, October 22, 2011
Venue: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Arlington, TX
Broadcast: FOX
St.Louis Cardinals at Texas Rangers Betting Lines from BetOnline.com
Money Line: Cardinals +172, Rangers -182
Over/Under: 9.5
St. Louis Cardinals (series tied 1-1)
Kyle Lohse (0-2, 7.45)
A base hit here, a stolen base there, a misplayed cutoff throw by Albert Pujols and a pair of sacrifice flies gave Texas the lead and the game was over once the ball went into Neftali Feliz’s hands.
Now, the Cards travel to the Lone Star State for three straight games in one of baseball’s toughest road environments: Rangers Ballpark. The bandbox is as intimidating a stadium as any for opposing pitchers, who can’t seem to keep the ball out of the stands there.
Kyle Lohse is charged with doing so on Saturday night in Game 3 but isn’t exactly brimming with confidence. He’s lost both his starts in the 2011 playoffs, allowing eight runs, 13 hits and two homers over 9.2 innings. Now, he hits the road to face a Rangers team that has tagged him for 14 home runs over 52.2 career innings. Yep, that’s the equivalent of 50-plus homers allowed over a full season for a starting pitcher. Lohse’s lifetime ERA against the Rangers is the Number of the Beast: 6.66.
Texas Rangers (series tied 1-1)
Matt Harrison (1-0, 4.22)
Texas’ Game-2 win Thursday night was, in a word, huge. The Rangers have a legit chance to win the series, or at least put St. Louis on the ropes, with three straight at home. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
If you ask me, Matt Harrison is a great guy to send to the mound on Saturday. Many people, myself included, had viewed his ceiling as nothing more than innings eater, but the 26-year-old has shown more than that this season. He won a career-high 14 games, greatly increased his strikeout rate and did a fine job keeping the ball in the park, even when pitching in Texas.
He’s looked like more of a power pitcher than an innings eater during the playoffs, striking out 12 batters in 10.2 innings, yet he’s maintained his control, walking no one.
The pick:
Now in just his fourth big-league season and only having spent one full campaign as a starter, Harrison has never faced the Cardinals. The only St. Louis starter with any at-bats against him is Lance Berkman, who is hitless in four plate appearances (having faced him before he was a Cardinal). When the lineup hasn’t seen the pitcher, the matchup favors the pitcher.
Meanwhile, though Michael Young is the only Ranger regular with significant at-bats versus Lohse, he has three homers and Lohse’s ERA at Rangers Ballpark is 6.75. He’s a solid bet to struggle and the Rangers are a solid bet to win Game 3.
Cardinals vs Rangers prediction: Rangers 8, Cardinals 3
Money Line: Rangers -182
Over/Under: OVER 9.5
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