Cincinnati at St. Louis

The St. Louis Cardinals may have the best record in baseball at 94-56, but they still have some work to do as the Pirates lurk within striking distance at four games out. And with three games in Pittsburgh at the end of the month, they would like to keep that cushion over three games. They are certainly poised to do so tonight in squaring off vs. Keyvius Sampson. Sampson has not proven that he can get big-league hitters out as he is 2-5 with a 7.09 ERA. Those numbers, as bad as they are, have taken a turn for the worse in recent games, as he has allowed 27 earned runs in his last 22.1 innings of work. The Cardinals counter with Jon Lackey. Lackey owns a 2.01 ERA at home on the season. St. Louis has been menacing at home vs. right-handed starters where they are 40-14 in their last 54. Side with the chalk tonight and take St. Louis.