The St. Louis Cardinals (46-38) and Cleveland Guardians (40-41) face off Sunday to conclude their three-game series at Progressive Field in Cleveland, scheduled for a 12:05 p.m. ET start. The Cardinals currently hold a 2-0 lead in the season series.
After a dominant 5-0 victory on Friday, the Cardinals edged the Guardians 9-6 on Saturday, cashing in as +108 road underdogs while also hitting the Over (8). Key contributions came from shortstop Masyn Winn, who went 3-for-5 with an RBI double, and home runs from first baseman Willson Contreras and second baseman Brendan Donovan. The Cardinals have gained momentum recently, winning 8 of their last 11 games.
Unfortunately for the Guardians, Saturday’s loss marked their third straight defeat, with pitchers Slade Cecconi and Matt Festa combining to allow 7 earned runs over 5 innings. Despite a bright spot from shortstop Gabriel Arias, who had a 2-run homer, and designated hitter Kyle Manzardo adding a solo shot, Cleveland has struggled at home, losing 8 of their last 11 games at Progressive Field.
The projected starters for this matchup include left-handed pitcher Matthew Liberatore (5-6, 3.96 ERA) for the Cardinals, who has recently shown improvement. His last performance was a victory against the Chicago Cubs, where he allowed only 2 earned runs over 7 innings. He has a 1.15 WHIP and has fanned 7.4 batters per nine innings. On the mound for the Guardians will be right-hander Logan Allen (5-5, 4.25 ERA), who has had difficulties at home, losing his last two starts and giving up 9 earned runs over his last 17.2 innings.
Looking at the betting lines from BetMGM Sportsbook, the Cardinals are favored at -125, with the Guardians at +105. The over/under is set at 8.5. Given St. Louis’s strong performance and Cleveland’s slump, predictions lean towards the Cardinals completing the sweep with a final score forecast of Cardinals 4, Guardians 3. Betting insights suggest a focus on the moneyline without engaging in the run line options.
Additionally, chances of a low-scoring game are reinforced by historical trends, with the Under hitting in 7 of the last 10 matchups between these teams, and the Cardinals hitting the Under in 3 of their last 4 contests.
As optimism surrounds the Cardinals, they appear poised for a successful road trip, building confidence as the season progresses. This momentum might be just what they need to continue their pursuit of a playoff spot.