Talk about a showdown that's hotter than your mother-in-law's meatloaf gravy! The St. Louis Cardinals are taking on the Washington Nationals in what's sure to be a real circus of a game at the Nationals Park.
Our man Sonny Gray is dealing for the Cardinals, with an impressive 3.042 ERA, a whip that can only be described as stingy at 1.014, and posting a questionable K/9 of 11.4 to boot. On the other hill, the Nationals are entrusting the ball to Patrick Corbin, who has been...er...let's just say 'consistently inconsistent' this year with a 5.619 ERA and 1.550 WHIP.
The Cardinals lineup looks as dangerous as a square dance on a landmine. Ivan Herrera, Brendan Donovan, and Alec Burleson have put up solid numbers, all batting north of .300, which frankly seems quite unfair. Note to self - consider sending a strongly-worded letter to the MLB...
The Nationals, on the other hand, aren't looking empty-handed with CJ Abrams leading the charge. Jesse Winker and Lane Thomas are hot on his heels, boasting some impressive numbers of their own. Trust me, folks, this isn't going to be your grandma's afternoon tea time.
These two teams have had some real seesaw battles in the past, but the Cardinals tend to come out on top more often than not. Looking at their regular season records, it's clear the Cardinals are achieving a bit more - no judgment, Nats, you're doing great - bringing a 45-41 record to the game, compared to the Nationals' 41-46.
In the aftermath of Independence Day, both teams had mixed results. The Cardinals seem to have a slight edge here, though, having feasted on some humble pie just once in the recent slew of games. The Nationals, while not exactly crashing and burning, have certainly seen smoother skies.
So boil the kettle and lock up your kittens - this game promises to be a whopper. If my crystal ball isn't lying to me, and it usually only does that on Saturdays, I'd say the Cardinals will have their beaks outfront when the dust settles.
Albert’s Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals by 2