The St. Louis Cardinals were hammered by the Reds last night, losing by a score of 11-0. Their lead in the NL Central isn't as comfortable as it once was, now only four games up on the Pirates. I expect the Cardinals to get one back on the road in Cincinnati here on Friday.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Pitching - The Cardinals will hand the ball to veteran John Lackey, who is win-less against the Reds this season. Lackey (11-9, 2.90 ERA) pitched well in all three of his previous starts against the Reds, but didn't get the support. The 36 year old has posted a 2.75 ERA over his last 10 starts. The Reds counter with Michael Lorenzen, who is 1-4 with a 10.43 ERA in his last seven starts.

2. Previous History - The Cardinals are 8-4 in the last 12 meetings in this series, and they are 7-2 in their last nine road games.

3. X-Factor - The Reds are 2-10 in their last 12 home games vs. a right-handed starter.

Selection: This is a play on the St. Louis Cardinals RL (8*)