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Gambling911.com has your baseball picks for June 21, 2011. These are courtesy of Sportsbook.com.
The line/total: Phillies -173, Cardinals +163 & 7.5 under -115
The Cards begin life without Albert Pujols as they host Philadelphia for a three-game set starting Tuesday night. Pujols fractured his forearm on Sunday and will be out approximately 6-to-8 weeks, leaving the Cards without their biggest bat just when it looked like they were turning things around. They snapped a seven-game losing streak with back-to-back wins over Kansas City last weekend. The Phillies are threatening to run away with the N.L. East, having won eight of 10.
The Phils not only have edge in the pitching matchups, but their lineup is also superior with Pujols sidelined.
Roy Halladay (9-3, 2.56 ERA) has won four straight decisions, and the Phils have won his past six starts. He hasn’t exactly been lights out though. He’s allowed four runs twice in his past four starts, and 10 or more baserunners in two of his past five. His command has been outstanding as usual, he’s yet to walk more than two batters in a game all year. He’s allowed just one run in each of his two career starts against the Cards.
Kyle McClellan (6-3, 3.96 ERA) returned from the disabled list last Wednesday to throw five shaky innings in Washington -- five runs (three earned) and seven hits allowed. He’s now given up 12 runs over nine innings in his past two starts. This will be his first career start against Philadelphia, against whom he has a 4.50 ERA over 10 relief innings.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
