Sitting one game behind the Giants for the second wild-card spot in the National League, the Cardinals desperately need to win this home game. The Reds embarrassed the Cardinals, 15-2, on Monday night.

I see the Cardinals coming back today. So does the oddsmaker because he's opened the Cardinals more than a 2-to-1 favorite to win. So to get around this high juice while keeping the Cardinals in play I'm making this a run line play. The Cardinals have won by more than one run during nine of their last 11 victories. They have the right motivation and pitching matchup to win big here.

Reds starter rookie Robert Stephenson returned to the majors early this month. He's made four starts since then and hasn't won. He's given up four runs in each of his last three starts going less than four innings in two of them. Stephenson has a 5.59 ERA. The Reds' bullpen ranks among the worst in baseball.

The Cardinals are going with veteran Adam Wainwright, who is pitching on extra rest. St. Louis is 6-0 the past six times Wainwright has pitched on six days rest.