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Carrie Stroup here with your baseball betting for June 20, 2012 with the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers. Open an online betting account here at Sportsbook, where qualified customers can receive up to $250 in FREE CASH.
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Detroit -122 & 10 over -115
The red-hot Tigers look for their fourth straight win to get them back to .500 on the season when they host the Cardinals in the middle of a three-game set on Wednesday night.
With Detroit’s 6-3 win on Tuesday behind Justin Verlander, the club has now won seven of its past nine games. The Cardinals continue to scuffle, losing their 12th game in the past 19 contests (.368) to drop to .500 for the season. They are also 1-9 in their past 10 regular-season games at Comerica Park. On Wednesday, two struggling right-handers take the mound with St. Louis veteran Jake Westbrook (5.82 ERA in past three starts) facing Detroit’s Rick Porcello (1.75 WHIP in past three starts). But the difference in these two pitchers is that Westbrook has pitched outstanding in his past three starts versus Detroit, all in 2010 (2-0, 2.84 ERA, .338 opponents’ slugging), while Porcello has loathed interleague play with a horrific 5.05 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and .331 opponents’ BA in 13 career starts versus National League clubs.
Westbrook (5-6, 4.27 ERA) has actually pitched better on the road (3.65 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) than he has at home this season (4.83 ERA, 1.49 WHIP). And when Westbrook has been locked in, he’s been excellent, sporting a 1.32 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in his five wins this season. But Westbrook has struggled in the eight Cards losses with a 6.55 ERA and 1.80 WHIP. His past four starts in Detroit (two in 2007, two in 2010), have been pretty strong though, as he carries a 2.96 ERA in these four outings. Four current Tigers have had success off Westbrook though. Miguel Cabrera is 6-for-10 with a homer, Ramon Santiago is 9-for-22 (.409 BA), Austin Jackson is 4-for-10 and Prince Fielder is 5-for-14 with 1 HR.
Porcello (4-4, 5.18 ERA) has not pitched well at home this season, carting a 5.08 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. He’s walked just seven batters in these 39 innings in Detroit, but has fanned only 22 batters. His past two outings have been nearly identical, allowing four runs on nine hits in five innings to both the Reds and Cubs on the road. But after posting just one strikeout and two walks in Cincinnati, he tallied 5 K’s and just 1 BB in Chicago last Wednesday. Detroit has the better bullpen in this game, as its relievers have a 3.93 ERA, including 3.42 at home. Cardinals relievers have a 4.33 ERA and 1.36 WHIP for the season, carting a 5-12 record with 14 saves and 11 blown saves. But the Tigers bullpen will be without its closer on Wednesday as Jose Valverde is doubtful because of a bad back.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
