The St. Louis Cardinals broke out their big bats on Monday to even their NLDS with a 12-4 pasting of the Washington Nationals. The squads now shift the scene to DC for an all-important Game 3 on Wednesday, and SBR has a pick on the contest.
Cardinals at Nationals
Wednesday, Oct. 10 -- 1:07 PM (ET) MLB Network
Nationals Park, Washington DC
If Mike Matheny's plan was to follow in the managerial footsteps of Tony La Russa, his predecessor with the St. Louis Cardinals, then he's on the right track.
His version of the Cardinals is certainly doing their part to follow the script written by last year's team that went on to win the World Series under La Russa. St. Louis now takes its playoff act on the road for a second time this October as the Cards and Washington Nationals shift their NLDS performance to the nation's capital deadlocked at one win apiece.
Game 3 of the set opens what could be a very busy Wednesday on the MLB postseason calendar, and the Nationals opened as very slight avorites in the -105 to -110 span. SBR betting odds show a 7.5 run total for the contest that pits Chris Carpenter on the mound for St. Louis against Washington 's Edwin Jackson.
It is spooky how similar the last week or so has been for the Cardinals compared to their title run in 2011. They nipped the staggering Braves at the wire a year ago to earn the NL wild card; last Friday, St. Louis beat Atlanta in the first-ever Wild Card Playoff to advance to this year's NLDS.
The Redbirds lost Game 1 of the 2011 NLDS to the Phillies after having an early lead; ditto for Game 1 of this year's NLDS when Washington came from behind to grab Sunday's victory. Just as St. Louis did last October, the Cards evened this year's series with a Game 2 triumph, pouring it on the Nats with a 12-4 win on Monday behind four home runs.
Teammates Last October, Combatants This Year
Now the Cardinals and Nationals head into critical Game 3 with a pair of veteran arms on the hill. Carpenter and Jackson were in the same locker room last October with a common goal; the goal remains the same, just for different teams this time.
Carpenter was a huge part of St. Louis ' 2011 championship, pitching the Cardinals into the playoffs with a shutout on the final day of the regular season before going 4-0 in six postseason starts with a 3.25 ERA. That effort took its toll on the 37-year-old's shoulder and Carpenter started the 2012 campaign on the DL.
He didn't make his season debut until a little less than three weeks ago, and though he pitched pretty well in his three assignments, St. Louis dropped each game. Wednesday will be the first time he has faced the Nationals since August 2010, and just the third start vs. Washington in the past six seasons.
Nats Among Best Home Teams In 2012
Considering how close they were to losing Game 1 on Sunday, the Nationals should feel pretty good to have gotten a split in St. Louis . Washington posted a 50-31 record at Nationals Park
The Cardinals, meanwhile, struggled a bit on the road in the regular season (38-43) and will have to win two in DC where the Nats went 13-7 down the stretch and won or swept four of their final six series.
Crew chief Joe West will assume plate duties on Wednesday, his 17th playoff game under the mask for the 35-year veteran arbiter. West was 13-17-2 O/U/P this past season with four of his last six games finishing below the total.
My MLB pick: Cardinals +100 +++
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