This is an 8* play on the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cubs will come into St. Louis tonight off back to back home losses, and it won't get any easier against the red hot Cardinals. St. Louis sits 4.5 games ahead of second place Chicago in the NL Central.

Carlos Martinez will toe the slab for St. Louis, and he's been quite sharp this season. Martinez (3-0, 1.73 ERA) allowed a pair of runs on six hits over six innings in a home win over Philly his last time out. The Cards have won all four of his starts this season, and he's limited the opposition to two runs or fewer in all those game.

The Cubs hand the ball to Travis Wood, who has been roughed up in the past here in St. Louis. Wood (2-1, 3.04 ERA) allowed a pair of runs on five hits over seven innings in a home win over Pittsburgh his last time out. He's 1-3 with a 6.57 ERA in five starts at Busch Stadium since 2012.

Matt Holliday will be happy to see Wood, he's hitting .375 with four home runs and nine RBIs over 40 career at bats versus the southpaw.

Take STL.

GL,

Jesse Schule