First off, this game is at Petco Park, the premier pitching park in the majors.

Both starters, Michael Wacha and Travis Wood, have strong track records pitching at Petco.

Wacha is 2-0 lifetime versus San Diego with a 1.89 ERA in three starts. Both of his victories against the Padres came at Petco.

The key is if Wacha is back on track. He had been in a slump, but pitched well in his last start this past Thursday. He held the Giants to one run on four hits in six innings. Yes that came against the weak-hitting Giants. But the Padres are the one team with a worse offense than the Giants. San Diego is last in runs and batting average. The Padres also have hit the second-fewest homers.

Wood is a journeyman. Normally I'd like to have a higher total to go under when he pitches. But these aren't normal circumstances because of the Cardinals' multiple injuries. Jedd Gyorko is on the DL. Matt Carpenter, Tommy Pham, Dexter Fowler and Kolton Wong all are nursing injuries. There's a chance none of them could be in the lineup leaving the Cardinals with a lot of youth and backup infielders filling up their lineup.

Wood has done well when pitching at Petco posting a 1.61 ERA in four starts there. The under is 13-6-1 in the Padres' past 20 home contests.