Cincinnati Reds vs St Louis Cardinals Prediction: Cardinals to open the series with a win

Major League Baseball between the Cincinnati Reds and St Louis Cardinals will take place at the Great American Ball Park. The last series between these two teams ended in a split win. How will the opener of this end?

The Cincinnati Reds are coming off a series against the Milwaukee Brewers and lost. In that series, the Cincinnati Reds started with consecutive defeats. In the opener, they lost 8-3 but failed to score a single run in game two, which they lost 1-0. In the meantime, this team did well to avoid a sweeping defeat as they battled to a 3-4 win in the finale. Yet, the Cincinnati Reds record now reads 57-61, and they are seated 11th in the National League. 

The St Louis Cardinals are coming off a series loss to the Kansas City Royals in a road game. They hope to get things right in this one, having failed to win any of their last three road series. Against the Kansas City Royals, the St Louis Cardinals scored 11 runs but conceded 13. In the meantime, the series before that game saw the St Louis Cardinals play the Tampa Bay Rays, winning the first two games before a 4-6 finale loss. Heading into this game, the St Louis Cardinals have a 3-4 record in their last seven matches.

I will back the bookies in this opener and take the Cardinals to win. The Cincinnati Reds are at home here, but they are off a struggling performance against the Brewers, and they will need to do well to get into this game. The Cardinals are not consistent, but I think they are slightly better here and should win in what could be a very tight contest.