With a non-descript starting staff, St. Louis has managed to hang around first place in the National League Central Division. The Cardinals starters are 10-4 this season, without arguably three of their top four hurlers. The bullpen has been holding up as well, with a 3.36 ERA, allowing only 59 hits in 67 innings of work.

Last night the Redbirds bullpen had to make an early arrival, starting in the fifth inning and held on to the 12th, before losing to Milwaukee 9-8. Though the Cardinals pounded out 16 hits, not one went over the Miller Park fences. Despite hanging eight runs on the board, the St. Louis bats have been quieter, scoring six runs in three previous games.

With Sportsbook.com having the Total at Un8.5, a potent situation arises to attract baseball bettor’s attention.

Play UNDER on all teams where the total is 8 to 8.5, after a team like St. Louis had two straight games with no home runs, after a game where the bullpen threw six or more innings.

In the last three seasons, this superb situation has garnered 21-5, 80.7 percent winners and +15.4 units of profit. Taking this system a bit further, over the last five years, the average total score has been 7.6 runs per game, with 60 percent of all contests coming in a run or more below posted total.

The Cardinals will start Todd Wellemeyer (2-0, 3.24), with the Pirates countering with Ian Snell (2-1, 4.07). The Pittsburgh right-hander has given up better than a hit per inning in 2008; however has 4-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Cards are 26-9 UNDER vs. a starting pitcher who gives up seven or more hits a start over the last three seasons. Snell is 13-3 UNDER against Central Division opponents over the last two seasons (Pirates Record), with average score 7.1 RPG.

First pitch is set for 7:05 Eastern, with contest shown in local markets and on XM187.