Vegas Play of the Day: Cubs at Cardinals

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015 | 10:35 a.m.

We've reset the Play of the Day with fresh bankrolls and turned it into a yearly competition. Our three sports writers have re-started with $10,000 bankrolls to continue using on odds from the South Point.

St. Louis Cardinals minus-115 vs. Chicago Cubs: $345 to win $300: The Chicago Cubs have the Cardinals’ attention. After dropping the initial two games of the series against the Cubs, St. Louis will flex its muscles today to prove they are the best team in the National League Central.

Chicago, with its young players leading the charge, are making things interesting in the standings in the final month of the season. St. Louis has led from start to finish and always finding ways to win when it appears they shouldn’t. They’ve battled injuries to key players all season.

While St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez was unhittable to start the season, he’s been average at best in his recent starts. He went 2-2 with a 4.15 earned run average in August, and gave up four earned runs in five innings in his lone September start. But Martinez has had success against the Cubs, surrendering just one run in six innings June 28 against Chicago.

I’m a Pittsburgh Pirates fan and have watched all season — and past seasons — as the Buccos have failed to catch the Cardinals. Eventually, they will pull away from Pittsburgh and Chicago. And getting the Cardinals at minus-115 at home is too good of a line to pass on the team with baseball’s best record.

Current Standings (as of July 1): Brewer (12-10, $9,940), Bern (7-9, $9,605), Keefer (7-17, $5,051)

Lifetime Records: 2014-15 champion Bern (90-83-1), Keefer (91-100-2), Brewer (82-97-2)

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21