The St. Louis Cardinals face off against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix, both teams battling for a crucial series win amidst struggling performances lately. The Cardinals, with a record of 51-46, have won only one out of their last four series, but they did sweep the Diamondbacks earlier this season, bringing a glimmer of hope. Their starting pitcher, Andre Pallante, holds a 5-5 record with a 4.49 ERA. Conversely, Brandon Pfaadt for Arizona, boasts a 9-6 record and a 5.16 ERA, showing some resilience of late.

Both teams find themselves on a similar trajectory, with the Diamondbacks at 47-50 and slightly behind in the race for the National League Wild Card spot. This matchup is critical as the Cardinals look to close the gap on the Wild Card, sitting 1.5 games back. The betting odds favor the Diamondbacks at -130, but the Cardinals are backed by the modeling tools with a recommended play on the moneyline. With the potential for runs, the over on the total of 8 runs seems a plausible bet as well.