St. Louis (20-14) had won 10 of 13 at home prior to this three-game series, but last-place Houston apparently wasn’t intimidated. The Astros won 6-3 Tuesday night, then came within one run of matching a season high with a 9-6 victory the following evening. To Bet on St. Louis Cardina Vs Houston Astros: Reach out our MLB Betting at SPORTSBETTING.COM sportsbook
It’s Houston’s first series win at Busch, which opened in 2006.
Poor defense has contributed to St. Louis allowing nine unearned runs in this series. Shortstop Brendan Ryan, a mainstay in the lineup due to his defense, has made two errors in each of his last two games after committing three in his first 29 contests.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
San Diego Padres Vs San Francisco Giants MLB Betting Odds
San Diego (21-12) has been a surprisingly strong contender after going 75-87 last season. A 5-2 win over San Francisco (18-14) on Wednesday night gave the Padres a 2 1/2-game lead over the Giants in the NL West.
Strong play within the division has helped San Diego take an early lead. The Padres are 11-6 against NL West opponents - 5-0 versus the Giants - after going 33-39 last year. MLB Betting at SPORTSBETTING.COM sportsbook
“We’re just playing really good baseball right now, not just against the Giants,” said starter Clayton Richard(notes), who earned the win Wednesday. “When you play the way we’ve been playing, you’ll end up beating a lot of teams.”
Strong play within the division has helped San Diego take an early lead. The Padres are 11-6 against NL West opponents - 5-0 versus the Giants - after going 33-39 last year. MLB Betting at SPORTSBETTING.COM sportsbook
“We’re just playing really good baseball right now, not just against the Giants,” said starter Clayton Richard(notes), who earned the win Wednesday. “When you play the way we’ve been playing, you’ll end up beating a lot of teams.”
Cleveland Cavaliers Vs Boston Celtics NBA Playoffs Betting
Boston holds a 3-2 lead in that same round against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But Garnett’s right knee is healthy again and he’s playing some of his best basketball of the season. His offense has picked up and on Tuesday night he directed a defense that shut down LeBron James in a 120-88 rout in Cleveland.
“It’s a different ballgame when you’ve got one of your star players in there,” Davis said in a soft voice after a brief practice Wednesday. “He can carry a team with his actions.”
Cleveland Cavaliers Vs Boston Celtics NBA Playoffs Betting at SPORTSBETTING.COM
Cleveland won Game 3 in Boston 124-95 but lost there two days later 97-87.
“It’s disappointing that we put ourselves in this situation where we have to win,” Jamison said. “If we want to be called champions, we have to do what champions do and that’s win on the road.”
“It’s a different ballgame when you’ve got one of your star players in there,” Davis said in a soft voice after a brief practice Wednesday. “He can carry a team with his actions.”
Cleveland Cavaliers Vs Boston Celtics NBA Playoffs Betting at SPORTSBETTING.COM
Cleveland won Game 3 in Boston 124-95 but lost there two days later 97-87.
“It’s disappointing that we put ourselves in this situation where we have to win,” Jamison said. “If we want to be called champions, we have to do what champions do and that’s win on the road.”
England Vs Sri Lanka ICC T20 World Cup Betting
England Vs Sri Lanka ICC T20 World Cup Betting on 1st Semi Final from St Louis. After Dramatic win over India Sri Lanka back in to the T20 World Cup Semi Finals. England who had good knock in the big tournament are eager to be at the final match. Reach out our Sportsbook
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat. Sri Lanka in the early overs lost two crucial wickets. Jayasuriya with the disappointing performance caught out for 1. Dilshan also got dismissed by Bresnan.
Now the total for Sri Lanka is 25/2 in 4 overs. Keep on Watching us for more updates
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat. Sri Lanka in the early overs lost two crucial wickets. Jayasuriya with the disappointing performance caught out for 1. Dilshan also got dismissed by Bresnan.
Now the total for Sri Lanka is 25/2 in 4 overs. Keep on Watching us for more updates
NBA Odds: Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Trends
Three teams are sitting pretty, waiting for the next round, while friends of Cleveland Cavalier fans are keeping them away from sharp objects and rooftops. And many bettors can relate, as online sportsbooks and Vegas shops alike, took in a lot of betting action on King James and the Cavs to not only win this series, but win the Eastern Conference and the Championship.
So while the Phoenix Suns prepare to battle the LA Lakers in the Western Conference final (after sweeping their respective semifinal series), the Orlando Magic (who also swept their series) are waiting to see who comes out of the Cavs-Celtics series.
Boston currently holds a 3-2 series lead — the Celtics took Game 5 by a final of 120-88, winning straight up as a +7.5 underdog.
The sports betting public took a hit in that game, as online sportsbooks reported heavy action coming in on the Cavs.
While LeBron James has been playing with an injured elbow, he says that’s not the reason for the Game 5 ass-kicking.
“I missed a lot of open shots that I normally make,” he told the Associated Press after the loss.
“You don’t see that out of me a lot so when it happens, it’s a big surprise.”
Game 6 will go in Beantown on Thursday and many are wondering aloud if they’ve seen the last of James in a Cleveland jersey.
Bettors take note: the Cavaliers have not been kind in their last 20 games overall, going a money-sucking 6-14 against the spread…and in their last eight road games, they are only 2-6 straight up. Cleveland is only 2-10 SU in their last 12 games in Boston.
Looking at betting the Total in this one? Here’s a quick trend worth noting. In the Cavs’ last nine games overall vs. Boston Celtics, there have been 7 Overs and only 2 Unders.
Obviously the Celtics want to end the series on Thursday and get ready for their date in the Eastern Conference final, and possibly another NBA championship.
“We cannot come back [to Cleveland],” said Kevin Garnett after Game 5.
“We have to think this is our Game 7 coming up and we cannot afford to have the best team in the league have a Game 7 on their floor. Just not possible.”
In their last 10 games overall, the Celtics are 7-3 SU and ATS.
This should be one of the best games of the 2010 NBA playoffs…you can check all the updated NBA Odds.
So while the Phoenix Suns prepare to battle the LA Lakers in the Western Conference final (after sweeping their respective semifinal series), the Orlando Magic (who also swept their series) are waiting to see who comes out of the Cavs-Celtics series.
Boston currently holds a 3-2 series lead — the Celtics took Game 5 by a final of 120-88, winning straight up as a +7.5 underdog.
The sports betting public took a hit in that game, as online sportsbooks reported heavy action coming in on the Cavs.
While LeBron James has been playing with an injured elbow, he says that’s not the reason for the Game 5 ass-kicking.
“I missed a lot of open shots that I normally make,” he told the Associated Press after the loss.
“You don’t see that out of me a lot so when it happens, it’s a big surprise.”
Game 6 will go in Beantown on Thursday and many are wondering aloud if they’ve seen the last of James in a Cleveland jersey.
Bettors take note: the Cavaliers have not been kind in their last 20 games overall, going a money-sucking 6-14 against the spread…and in their last eight road games, they are only 2-6 straight up. Cleveland is only 2-10 SU in their last 12 games in Boston.
Looking at betting the Total in this one? Here’s a quick trend worth noting. In the Cavs’ last nine games overall vs. Boston Celtics, there have been 7 Overs and only 2 Unders.
Obviously the Celtics want to end the series on Thursday and get ready for their date in the Eastern Conference final, and possibly another NBA championship.
“We cannot come back [to Cleveland],” said Kevin Garnett after Game 5.
“We have to think this is our Game 7 coming up and we cannot afford to have the best team in the league have a Game 7 on their floor. Just not possible.”
In their last 10 games overall, the Celtics are 7-3 SU and ATS.
This should be one of the best games of the 2010 NBA playoffs…you can check all the updated NBA Odds.
MLB Preview - Washington (19-15) Vs Colorado (16-17)
Though the Nationals are 3-11 at Coors Field since the start of the 2006 season, and where they were swept last year, they’re 8-7 on the road in 2010. Washington, which split a four-game home set with the Rockies (16-17) in April, has won four of five overall.
“I think the greatest thing about this team is we don’t get too high or too low,” third baseman Ryan Zimmerman told the Nationals’ official website. “That’s a great attitude for us to have. We have been playing well.”
The Nationals are on a high after light-hitting outfielder Roger Bernadina hit his first two major league homers, including a tiebreaking shot off Francisco Rodriguez in the ninth inning of a 6-4 win over the Mets on Wednesday.
Adam Dunn had two hits, and is batting .311 with 15 RBIs in his last 20 games. The Nationals slugger, however, was 3 for 14 against the Rockies last month.
Washington will get its first look at Chacin (2-0, 0.00), who has thrown 15 1-3 scoreless innings over two starts and one relief appearance since being called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs on April 27.
The 22-year-old right-hander, who appeared in nine games for Colorado last season, gave up six hits and struck out seven in 7 1-3 innings of an 8-0 win at Los Angeles on Saturday. That came after he allowed one hit and fanned seven in seven innings of a 4-1 win at San Francisco in his first start May 2.
“This kid’s capable of winning a lot for us right now,” manager Jim Tracy said.
Miguel Olivo went 5 for 5 and hit a game-winning homer in the Rockies’ 4-3, 10-inning victory over Philadelphia in the first game of a scheduled day-night doubleheader Wednesday. Poor weather postponed the nightcap.
Carlos Gonzalez had three hits after missing the previous two games after attending the funeral of his uncle. Gonzalez is batting .330 this season, and .353 with two homers and five RBIs in nine games versus the Nationals.
He’s 4 for 4 against Thursday’s scheduled starter, John Lannan (1-2, 6.34), who returns to the mound after missing his last start because of elbow discomfort. Lannan, who allowed six runs in five innings of a 9-3 loss at Florida on May 2, could be on a limited pitch count.
“We want him to pitch pain free, throw his pitches and keep the ball down,” Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. “That first performance will be more how he feels and how he recovers from that more so than just the results of the game.”
Lannan is 0-1 with a 7.41 ERA in three starts against the Rockies. The left-hander gave up four runs and 11 hits in six innings, but didn’t get a decision in the 6-4 win over Colorado on April 21.
“I think the greatest thing about this team is we don’t get too high or too low,” third baseman Ryan Zimmerman told the Nationals’ official website. “That’s a great attitude for us to have. We have been playing well.”
The Nationals are on a high after light-hitting outfielder Roger Bernadina hit his first two major league homers, including a tiebreaking shot off Francisco Rodriguez in the ninth inning of a 6-4 win over the Mets on Wednesday.
Adam Dunn had two hits, and is batting .311 with 15 RBIs in his last 20 games. The Nationals slugger, however, was 3 for 14 against the Rockies last month.
Washington will get its first look at Chacin (2-0, 0.00), who has thrown 15 1-3 scoreless innings over two starts and one relief appearance since being called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs on April 27.
The 22-year-old right-hander, who appeared in nine games for Colorado last season, gave up six hits and struck out seven in 7 1-3 innings of an 8-0 win at Los Angeles on Saturday. That came after he allowed one hit and fanned seven in seven innings of a 4-1 win at San Francisco in his first start May 2.
“This kid’s capable of winning a lot for us right now,” manager Jim Tracy said.
Miguel Olivo went 5 for 5 and hit a game-winning homer in the Rockies’ 4-3, 10-inning victory over Philadelphia in the first game of a scheduled day-night doubleheader Wednesday. Poor weather postponed the nightcap.
Carlos Gonzalez had three hits after missing the previous two games after attending the funeral of his uncle. Gonzalez is batting .330 this season, and .353 with two homers and five RBIs in nine games versus the Nationals.
He’s 4 for 4 against Thursday’s scheduled starter, John Lannan (1-2, 6.34), who returns to the mound after missing his last start because of elbow discomfort. Lannan, who allowed six runs in five innings of a 9-3 loss at Florida on May 2, could be on a limited pitch count.
“We want him to pitch pain free, throw his pitches and keep the ball down,” Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. “That first performance will be more how he feels and how he recovers from that more so than just the results of the game.”
Lannan is 0-1 with a 7.41 ERA in three starts against the Rockies. The left-hander gave up four runs and 11 hits in six innings, but didn’t get a decision in the 6-4 win over Colorado on April 21.
MLB: New York Vs Florida | Mets - Marlins Preview
Mets - Marlins Preview
The Mets haven’t won a series on the road since a visit to Miami last season.
The Mets (18-16) open a four-game series following a 3-3 homestand that ended with a 6-4 loss to Washington on Wednesday. New York had the bases loaded and a chance to break the game open in the fifth inning, but Jeff Francoeur’s liner to right field was caught by a diving Roger Bernadina, who later hit a two-run homer off Francisco Rodriguez in the ninth.
“That ruined my day,” said Francoeur, who is batting .132 in 11 games this month. “It’s one of those plays that stick with you until you wake up the next day.”
New York will try to win its first road series since taking two of three from the Marlins (16-18) from Sept. 25-27. While the Mets have a major league-best 14 home wins, they have dropped two of three in each of their first four road series.
New York could open this series on a positive note with Santana (3-2, 4.54 ERA) taking the ball. The veteran left-hander has an 11.12 ERA in two May outings, but he is 6-1 with a 1.66 ERA in eight starts against the Marlins.
Making his fifth opening day start, Santana allowed one run and four hits while striking out five over six innings to beat Florida 7-1 on April 5.
Prior to walking four and giving up four runs in that defeat, Johnson (3-1, 3.35) was 7-0 with a 2.30 ERA in nine starts against New York.
Johnson, who is 4-0 with a 2.14 ERA in five home starts versus the Mets, will try to help the Marlins avoid losing four straight at Sun Life Stadium for the first time since May 20-23.
Florida, which plays 16 of its next 21 at home, ended a 3-3 trip with a 4-3 loss to Chicago on Wednesday. The Marlins had a chance for their first three-game winning streak and series sweep of the season.
“We won the series, which is good, but a sweep would have been nice,” right-hander Chris Volstad said.
Reigning NL batting champ Hanley Ramirez, who is hitting .361 at home, looks to get back on track after going 4 for 23 on the trip. Ramirez had two hits Wednesday but struck out looking with two runners on to end the game.
He is 3 for 18 with seven strikeouts against Santana.
Second baseman Dan Uggla, a career .219 hitter against the Mets, has one hit in 19 at-bats versus the two-time Cy Young Award winner.
Mets left fielder Jason Bay will try to extend his hitting streak to seven, but he is batting .149 in 14 games at Florida. Bay was 4 for 11 as New York dropped two of three to the visiting Marlins last month.
Angel Pagan, who is batting .368 in 20 contests against Florida, has four consecutive two-hit games.
Alex Cora could get his second straight start at second for New York with Luis Castillo nursing a foot injury.
Marlins center fielder Cameron Maybin could return to the starting lineup after sitting out Wednesday with a sore left wrist.
The Mets haven’t won a series on the road since a visit to Miami last season.
The Mets (18-16) open a four-game series following a 3-3 homestand that ended with a 6-4 loss to Washington on Wednesday. New York had the bases loaded and a chance to break the game open in the fifth inning, but Jeff Francoeur’s liner to right field was caught by a diving Roger Bernadina, who later hit a two-run homer off Francisco Rodriguez in the ninth.
“That ruined my day,” said Francoeur, who is batting .132 in 11 games this month. “It’s one of those plays that stick with you until you wake up the next day.”
New York will try to win its first road series since taking two of three from the Marlins (16-18) from Sept. 25-27. While the Mets have a major league-best 14 home wins, they have dropped two of three in each of their first four road series.
New York could open this series on a positive note with Santana (3-2, 4.54 ERA) taking the ball. The veteran left-hander has an 11.12 ERA in two May outings, but he is 6-1 with a 1.66 ERA in eight starts against the Marlins.
Making his fifth opening day start, Santana allowed one run and four hits while striking out five over six innings to beat Florida 7-1 on April 5.
Prior to walking four and giving up four runs in that defeat, Johnson (3-1, 3.35) was 7-0 with a 2.30 ERA in nine starts against New York.
Johnson, who is 4-0 with a 2.14 ERA in five home starts versus the Mets, will try to help the Marlins avoid losing four straight at Sun Life Stadium for the first time since May 20-23.
Florida, which plays 16 of its next 21 at home, ended a 3-3 trip with a 4-3 loss to Chicago on Wednesday. The Marlins had a chance for their first three-game winning streak and series sweep of the season.
“We won the series, which is good, but a sweep would have been nice,” right-hander Chris Volstad said.
Reigning NL batting champ Hanley Ramirez, who is hitting .361 at home, looks to get back on track after going 4 for 23 on the trip. Ramirez had two hits Wednesday but struck out looking with two runners on to end the game.
He is 3 for 18 with seven strikeouts against Santana.
Second baseman Dan Uggla, a career .219 hitter against the Mets, has one hit in 19 at-bats versus the two-time Cy Young Award winner.
Mets left fielder Jason Bay will try to extend his hitting streak to seven, but he is batting .149 in 14 games at Florida. Bay was 4 for 11 as New York dropped two of three to the visiting Marlins last month.
Angel Pagan, who is batting .368 in 20 contests against Florida, has four consecutive two-hit games.
Alex Cora could get his second straight start at second for New York with Luis Castillo nursing a foot injury.
Marlins center fielder Cameron Maybin could return to the starting lineup after sitting out Wednesday with a sore left wrist.
San Diego (21-12) Vs San Francisco (18-14) Preview
San Diego (21-12) Vs San Francisco (18-14) Match Preview
San Diego (21-12) has been a surprisingly strong contender after going 75-87 last season. A 5-2 win over San Francisco (18-14) on Wednesday night gave the Padres a 2 1/2-game lead over the Giants in the NL West.
Strong play within the division has helped San Diego take an early lead. The Padres are 11-6 against NL West opponents - 5-0 versus the Giants - after going 33-39 last year.
“We’re just playing really good baseball right now, not just against the Giants,” said starter Clayton Richard(notes), who earned the win Wednesday. “When you play the way we’ve been playing, you’ll end up beating a lot of teams.”
San Diego has won nine of 12 against San Francisco.
“We have not played well against them, that’s the bottom line,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “Their pitching has shut us down and we’re making all the mistakes. They’re playing better ball than us, there’s no getting around it and we know it. We’re a better club than this. We’re just making way too many mistakes.”
San Diego is off to the second-best start in team history. The 1998 Padres - who were led by Bochy - began 22-11 and went on to win the division and reach the World Series.
San Diego catcher Yorvit Torrealba(notes), who began his career with San Francisco, is coming off a two-RBI performance but will likely be replaced by Nick Hundley(notes) due to the quick turnaround. Torrealba and Hundley have split time, handling a staff that has moved into the major league lead with a 2.69 ERA.
The Padres have a 1.57 ERA against the Giants this season.
Mat Latos(notes) (2-2, 4.19), who is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in his last two starts, is set to take the mound for San Diego. He was particularly impressive Friday night, striking out a career-high nine and allowing two hits in eight innings of a 7-0 victory over Houston.
The 22-year-old right-hander also had a strong performance in beating the Giants 1-0 on April 20, surrendering four hits in seven innings. It was his first appearance against San Francisco.
The Giants will counter with Jonathan Sanchez(notes) (2-2, 3.00), who is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in his last two outings.
The left-hander didn’t receive a decision after allowing four runs and seven hits in seven innings of a 6-4 loss at New York on Friday night. Sanchez surrendered three home runs for the first time in 72 starts.
Sanchez is 2-3 with a 2.45 ERA in seven starts versus the Padres, getting one run or none to work with four times. He matched up with Latos last month and took the loss despite giving up one hit and one run while striking out 10 in seven innings.
San Diego (21-12) has been a surprisingly strong contender after going 75-87 last season. A 5-2 win over San Francisco (18-14) on Wednesday night gave the Padres a 2 1/2-game lead over the Giants in the NL West.
Strong play within the division has helped San Diego take an early lead. The Padres are 11-6 against NL West opponents - 5-0 versus the Giants - after going 33-39 last year.
“We’re just playing really good baseball right now, not just against the Giants,” said starter Clayton Richard(notes), who earned the win Wednesday. “When you play the way we’ve been playing, you’ll end up beating a lot of teams.”
San Diego has won nine of 12 against San Francisco.
“We have not played well against them, that’s the bottom line,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “Their pitching has shut us down and we’re making all the mistakes. They’re playing better ball than us, there’s no getting around it and we know it. We’re a better club than this. We’re just making way too many mistakes.”
San Diego is off to the second-best start in team history. The 1998 Padres - who were led by Bochy - began 22-11 and went on to win the division and reach the World Series.
San Diego catcher Yorvit Torrealba(notes), who began his career with San Francisco, is coming off a two-RBI performance but will likely be replaced by Nick Hundley(notes) due to the quick turnaround. Torrealba and Hundley have split time, handling a staff that has moved into the major league lead with a 2.69 ERA.
The Padres have a 1.57 ERA against the Giants this season.
Mat Latos(notes) (2-2, 4.19), who is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in his last two starts, is set to take the mound for San Diego. He was particularly impressive Friday night, striking out a career-high nine and allowing two hits in eight innings of a 7-0 victory over Houston.
The 22-year-old right-hander also had a strong performance in beating the Giants 1-0 on April 20, surrendering four hits in seven innings. It was his first appearance against San Francisco.
The Giants will counter with Jonathan Sanchez(notes) (2-2, 3.00), who is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in his last two outings.
The left-hander didn’t receive a decision after allowing four runs and seven hits in seven innings of a 6-4 loss at New York on Friday night. Sanchez surrendered three home runs for the first time in 72 starts.
Sanchez is 2-3 with a 2.45 ERA in seven starts versus the Padres, getting one run or none to work with four times. He matched up with Latos last month and took the loss despite giving up one hit and one run while striking out 10 in seven innings.
MLB: Houston Vs St. Louis Match Preview
Houston Vs St. Louis Thursday Match Preview
St. Louis (20-14) had won 10 of 13 at home prior to this three-game series, but last-place Houston apparently wasn’t intimidated. The Astros won 6-3 Tuesday night, then came within one run of matching a season high with a 9-6 victory the following evening.
It’s Houston’s first series win at Busch, which opened in 2006.
Poor defense has contributed to St. Louis allowing nine unearned runs in this series. Shortstop Brendan Ryan, a mainstay in the lineup due to his defense, has made two errors in each of his last two games after committing three in his first 29 contests.
“I just know he’s a really good defensive player,” manager Tony La Russa said. “This happens, hang with it.”
Cardinals pitchers have a major league-best 1.97 ERA at home, and Carpenter (4-0, 2.80 ERA) has posted a 0.90 ERA in winning each of his three starts in St. Louis.
The right-hander has 47 strikeouts in 45 innings in seven starts overall. He gave up two runs and struck out eight in seven innings against Pittsburgh on Friday, but didn’t earn the win in St. Louis’ 4-3 victory.
Carpenter is 6-3 with a 2.72 ERA and five complete games in 14 starts against the Astros.
Norris (1-4, 7.52) hasn’t had nearly as much success as Carpenter, but he has been at his best versus St. Louis. Norris has limited the Cardinals to an unearned run while winning each of his three starts against them, including two on the road.
That includes a matchup on April 15 at Busch Stadium, where the right-hander struck out nine in five scoreless innings of a 5-1 Astros victory. St. Louis sluggers Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday are a combined 3 for 17 against the right-hander.
Norris has otherwise struggled this season, posting a 10.54 ERA while losing his last three starts. He surrendered five runs in four innings of a 7-0 loss to San Diego on Friday.
The Astros, who are last in the NL with a .226 batting average, have given Norris six runs to work with in his six outings, but they have plated 19 during a three-game winning streak. Houston (12-21) is 11-3 when scoring four runs or more.
Lance Berkman has homered in two straight games for the Astros. His last homer was the first allowed in 100 2-3 innings by a St. Louis starter at home.
“Anytime you can score runs early and let your guy relax a little bit, that’s good,” said Berkman, who’s batting .209 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 20 games.
Houston center fielder Michael Bourn had two hits, giving him 10 in 21 at-bats against the Cardinals this season. Bourn is 6 for 15 in his last three road games.
St. Louis (20-14) had won 10 of 13 at home prior to this three-game series, but last-place Houston apparently wasn’t intimidated. The Astros won 6-3 Tuesday night, then came within one run of matching a season high with a 9-6 victory the following evening.
It’s Houston’s first series win at Busch, which opened in 2006.
Poor defense has contributed to St. Louis allowing nine unearned runs in this series. Shortstop Brendan Ryan, a mainstay in the lineup due to his defense, has made two errors in each of his last two games after committing three in his first 29 contests.
“I just know he’s a really good defensive player,” manager Tony La Russa said. “This happens, hang with it.”
Cardinals pitchers have a major league-best 1.97 ERA at home, and Carpenter (4-0, 2.80 ERA) has posted a 0.90 ERA in winning each of his three starts in St. Louis.
The right-hander has 47 strikeouts in 45 innings in seven starts overall. He gave up two runs and struck out eight in seven innings against Pittsburgh on Friday, but didn’t earn the win in St. Louis’ 4-3 victory.
Carpenter is 6-3 with a 2.72 ERA and five complete games in 14 starts against the Astros.
Norris (1-4, 7.52) hasn’t had nearly as much success as Carpenter, but he has been at his best versus St. Louis. Norris has limited the Cardinals to an unearned run while winning each of his three starts against them, including two on the road.
That includes a matchup on April 15 at Busch Stadium, where the right-hander struck out nine in five scoreless innings of a 5-1 Astros victory. St. Louis sluggers Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday are a combined 3 for 17 against the right-hander.
Norris has otherwise struggled this season, posting a 10.54 ERA while losing his last three starts. He surrendered five runs in four innings of a 7-0 loss to San Diego on Friday.
The Astros, who are last in the NL with a .226 batting average, have given Norris six runs to work with in his six outings, but they have plated 19 during a three-game winning streak. Houston (12-21) is 11-3 when scoring four runs or more.
Lance Berkman has homered in two straight games for the Astros. His last homer was the first allowed in 100 2-3 innings by a St. Louis starter at home.
“Anytime you can score runs early and let your guy relax a little bit, that’s good,” said Berkman, who’s batting .209 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 20 games.
Houston center fielder Michael Bourn had two hits, giving him 10 in 21 at-bats against the Cardinals this season. Bourn is 6 for 15 in his last three road games.
