St. Louis at Pittsburgh

This is a long noted perception vs. reality and the line spells that out quite clearly. The Cardinals have been a factor in the NL Central on an annual basis, while the Pirates have been mired in the basement for almost two decades. Chris Carpenter is an aging quality pitcher and the numbers aren't what they used to be, while Paul Maholm has the typical Carpenter numbers with a 3.06 ERA. The Pirates are better at home than what the Cards have shown on the road this season, but the line recognizes the pre-conceived facts stated above. Aging Carpenter now has the Cards at 3-10 in his last 13 road starts as a favorite, while the Pirates continue to scoop the cash after a loss, now at 8-0 in their last eight. Play Pittsburgh in this one.