<p>
National League playoff contenders clash when the Braves and Cardinals continue a three-game series at Busch Stadium Saturday night. Which way are we playing this game for <a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/free-mlb-picks&quot; title="Today's MLB baseball Picks">today's baseball pick</a>?
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<h2>
MLB Betting Odds<br />
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<p>
Saturday's MLB betting odds opened Atlanta at around -110 over St. Louis, with an over/under of nine runs. Early betting action then bumped that line up to -115.
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<h2>
Braves vs. Cardinals Set-Up<br />
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<p>
Atlanta grabbed the opener of this series Friday night 5-2, cashing in as a +130 dog on the MLB betting line. That game was tied at 1-1 through five innings, but the Braves scored twice in the top of the sixth and twice more in the eighth to pull away.
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<p>
With Friday's victory, Atlanta is 8-2 over its last 10 games. At 29-23 overall the Braves sit in second place in the NL East, just a game and a half back of first-place Philadelphia.
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With Friday's loss St. Louis is just 5-15 over its last 20 games. At 25-25 overall the Cardinals occupy fourth place in the NL Central, 4.5 games back of the division-leading Cubs.
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<p>
This series is the second meeting between these teams this season. Last week the Braves took two of three from the Cards in Atlanta.
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<h2>
Saturday's Starting Arms<br />
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<p>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/dakota-hudson-641712&quot; target="_blank" title="Dakota Hudson Pitching Stats">Hudson</a>, by our strict standards, is only 2/9 on quality starts this season, but he's been alright this month of May. Last Saturday he held Texas to two runs and five hits through six innings, and in four starts this month he's allowed eight earned runs and 25 hits through 23 innings.
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The Cardinals are 4-5 with Hudson this year, but only 1-3 over his last four starts, even though he's been better as of late.
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This will be Hudson's first-ever start against Atlanta, which could give him an edge, at least for the first couple of times through the lineup.
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<p>
Rookie righty Soroka is 5/7 on quality starts this season, working on a run of five in a row. And he'd be 7/7 on QS if not for a quick leash in his first two starts. Monday he held San Francisco to one run and two hits through eight innings, with seven whiffs and zero walks. And over his seven starts this season he's allowed just five ER and 25 hits, including only one home run, through 44 2/3 innings.
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<p>
The Braves are 5-2 with Soroka this season, and they should be 6-1.
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In his only career start against St. Louis, 10 days ago, Soroka tossed seven innings of three-hit, shutout ball in a 4-0 Atlanta victory.
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<h2>
Saturday's Batting Splits<br />
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<p>
Atlanta is batting .259/.335/.434 this season against right-handed pitching.<br />
St. Louis is batting .260/.339/.424 against righties this season.
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<h2>
The Bullpens<br />
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<p>
The Braves bullpen owns a 4.36 ERA this season and a 1.48 WHIP.<br />
The Cardinals bullpen owns a 4.03 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.
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<h2>
Totals Report<br />
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<li>
Overs are 26-24 in Braves games this season.
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Overs are 25-22 in Cardinals games this season.
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Overs are 13-11 in games played at Busch Stadium this season.
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Unders are 6-1 with Soroka this season.
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<p><section></p>
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><b><span style="color:#008000;">Get more details:</span></b> <a class="advblue" href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/matchup/1077103">Braves at Cards MLB Match-up Stats </a> </span>
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</ul>
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