Sports Betting Live: MLB Betting: Houston Vs St. Louis

Thursday, April 15, 2010

MLB Betting: Houston Vs St. Louis

MLB Betting: Houston Vs St. Louis : The Astros have scored a major league-worst 14 runs in 2010 with the middle of the batting order struggling most. Hunter Pence(notes) is hitting just .103 with one homer, two RBIs and no walks, while Carlos Lee(notes) is batting .097 with no extra-base hits, no RBIs and one walk.

Since being acquired by the Cardinals in 2008, Lohse (0-0, 6.00 ERA) has recorded a modest 21-16 record with a 4.17 ERA, but he’s gone 5-1 with a 2.44 ERA in seven starts against the Astros. He has been significantly better against them in St. Louis, posting a 0.86 ERA in winning all three starts there.

Lohse will make his second start of the season after giving up four runs, six hits and three walks in six innings of Friday’s 5-4 win in Milwaukee. The right-hander didn’t receive a decision and was most upset about the free passes, as two of the batters he walked later came around to score.

“You can’t walk yourself in trouble like that,” he told the Cardinals’ official Web site. “You can’t put yourself in that situation too many times. I know better than that. I just can’t make those mistakes.”

Lohse didn’t have any trouble when it came to walking batters against Houston last season, issuing three bases on balls over 22 innings in three starts. He went 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in those outings.

The Astros counter with Bud Norris(notes) (0-1, 10.13), who had surprising success against the Cardinals as a rookie last season.

Norris’ first career start came in St. Louis on Aug. 2, and the right-hander allowed just two hits in seven innings of a 2-0 win. He faced them again on Sept. 23, and gave up six hits in six innings of a 3-0 win.

Norris wasn’t able to match that success in his first start of the season Friday against Philadelphia, yielding three runs, six hits and four walks while tossing 82 pitches over 2 2-3 innings in an 8-0 loss.