Baseball Betting Trends: St Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers

Friday, May 18, 2012

by Mike Stewart

Lance Lynn - Baseball Betting Trends: St Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers

St Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers
When: 10:10 PM ET, Friday, May 18, 2012
Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

Opening Line: St Louis -125
Current Line: St Louis -117
MLB Betting Lines from: SBG Global Sportsbook

Two of the National League’s three division leaders square off when the St Louis Cardinals visit the Los Angeles Dodgers in Friday’s opener of a three-game set. The series is the only one between two NL squads this week with interleague play opening around the majors. St. Louis is hoping center fielder Carlos Beltran (knee) will be back in the starting lineup at a time when the Dodgers are without star center fielder Matt Kemp (hamstring).

Two of the NL’s top starters over the first quarter of the season will be on the mound – St. Louis’ Lance Lynn and Los Angeles’ Ted Lilly – so runs could be at a premium. Lynn is the only NL hurler with six victories while Lilly is among a pack of pitchers who are tied for second with five wins. The Cardinals lead the NL Central by 2 1/2 games over the Cincinnati Reds despite losing five of seven games, including a 7-5 setback against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. The Dodgers lead the NL West by six games after routing the San Diego Padres 8-1.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (6-1, 1.81 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Ted Lilly (5-0, 2.11 ERA)

Lynn lost to the Atlanta Braves in his last outing after winning his first six starts. He gave up four hits and a season-high three runs in six innings. Lynn has struck out 44 in 44 2/3 innings and opponents are batting just .171 against him. He has never pitched against Los Angeles.

Lilly defeated the Colorado Rockies in his last outing despite allowing a season-worst four earned runs and a season-high six hits in six innings. Lilly gave up just five earned runs in his first five starts. He has given up just 23 hits and 14 walks in 38 1/3 innings. Lilly is 7-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 14 career starts against St. Louis.

1. St. Louis is 13-9 in Los Angeles since 2005.

2. Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier is batting .304 in 148 career at-bats against the Cardinals but has just two homers and seven RBIs.

3. Cardinals first baseman/outfielder Allen Craig missed Thursday’s game with a hamstring injury.