The St. Louis Cardinals (70-51) and Chicago Cubs (52-69) will tussle in a pair of games at Wrigley Field Tuesday. Game 2 of their day-night doubleheader is slated for 8:05 p.m. ET.

Season series: St. Louis leads 8-4 going into Game 1

The Cardinals have won 8 consecutive games and are now 5 games up on the scuffling Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central standings. St. Louis took Monday’s series opener 1-0 on an Albert Pujols homer (career  No. 693), but it owns a fine .944 OPS over the win streak.

The Cubs managed just 2 base runners in being blanked Monday. But Chicago pitching continues to be exceptional, especially in its home yard. The Cubs own a 2.65 ERA, 1.05 WHIP in their last 13 games at Wrigley Field.

[Records and team notes published before Tuesday’s 1st game.]

Cardinals at Cubs projected starters

RHP Jake Woodford vs. RHP Adrian Sampson

Woodford (2-0, 2.66 ERA) is making his 1st start. He has a 1.18 WHIP, 3.0 BB/9 and 4.9 K/9 through 23 2/3 IP in 13 games.

• Figures to serve as an opener in this game. Has not pitched more than 1 2/3 innings in a single game since June 4
• Likely to be followed by 22-year-old left-hander Matthew Liberatore. In 7 appearances (6 starts) in the majors this season, Liberatore has posted a 5.33 ERA and 1.74 WHIP in 27 IP

Sampson (1-3, 3.51 ERA) has appeared in 12 games, making 10 starts. He owns a 1.25 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9 and 7.3 K/9 in 59 IP.

• Threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his last start (Thursday). Tied a season-high with 6K in that outing at Baltimore
• Went 5 IP against the Cardinals on June 25, allowed 2 R, 4 H,2 BB and 5 K

Cardinals at Cubs odds and lines

• Money line: Cardinals -140 (bet $100 to win $140) | Cubs +115 (bet $115 to win $100)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Cardinals -1.5 (+115) | Cubs +1.5 (-145)
• Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -125 | U: +100)

Cardinals at Cubs picks and predictions

Prediction

Cubs 5, Cardinals 4

Money line

The Cards were a solid play over the first few weeks of August, but the scales now tip St. Louis a tad into fade territory.

BACK THE CUBS (+115).

Run line/Against the spread

Avoid the extra juice here PASS.

Over/Under

The Redbirds have had their offense cranked up to a high level recently. Although they’ve scored a combined 2 runs at home in their last 2 games, the Cubs had also been operating at a decent clip in recent home games.

With pitching on both sides being taxed, look into the Over 8.5 if you can get a price of -120 or better. PASS otherwise.

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