The St. Louis Cardinals and Athletics are back at it Wednesday night in West Sacramento for Game 2 of their interleague series, with the Cardinals holding a 1-0 lead after a strong opening performance.
First pitch is set for 9:40 p.m. EDT, and all eyes will be on the mound as Matthew Liberatore (2-1, 4.07 ERA) takes the ball for St. Louis, while J.T. Ginn (1-1, 3.62 ERA) looks to even things up for the Athletics. The betting line favors the home team at -149, with the over/under set at 10 runs—suggesting fans could be in for a high-scoring affair.
The Athletics come into this matchup leading the AL West at 21-20, but they've struggled at home with an 8-9 record. However, when they get their bats going, they're tough to beat—boasting a 14-4 record in games where they score five or more runs. Shea Langeliers has been the standout, crushing 12 home runs and driving in 25 RBIs while hitting an impressive .340. Jacob Wilson has also been hot lately, going 12-for-38 with a homer and four RBIs over his last 10 games.
On the other side, the Cardinals are sitting pretty at 24-17, third in the NL Central, and they've been road warriors with a 14-7 record away from home. Their lineup, which ranks eighth in the NL in on-base percentage at .319, is fueled by Jordan Walker's 11 home runs and 30 RBIs, while Ivan Herrera has been red-hot with 14 hits in his last 41 at-bats, including four doubles.
Looking at recent form, the Cardinals have been rolling, going 6-4 in their last 10 games with a stellar 2.63 ERA and outscoring opponents by eight runs. The Athletics, meanwhile, are 4-6 over the same stretch, with a 5.17 ERA that's left them three runs in the red.
Injury-wise, the Athletics are dealing with some key absences, including Jacob Wilson (shoulder) and Max Muncy (hand) on the 10-day IL, while the Cardinals have Lars Nootbaar (heels) on the 60-day IL and Matt Pushard (knee) on the 15-day IL.
With the series on the line, Wednesday's game promises plenty of drama—whether you're a fan of the red-hot Cardinals or the resilient Athletics looking to bounce back at home.