The Houston Astros (8-9) and St. Louis Cardinals (8-9) are set to face off in the final game of their three-game series at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Astros secured a 2-0 victory on Tuesday, thanks to Hunter Brown’s dominant pitching performance, while the Cardinals won the series opener 8-3 behind a strong offensive showing from Nolan Arenado.
Game Details
- Matchup: Houston Astros (8-9) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (8-9)
- Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2025
- Time: 1:15 PM ET
- Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
- TV Broadcast: MLB Network, Bally Sports Midwest (St. Louis), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)
- Betting Odds: Astros (-115), Cardinals (-105) Over/Under: 8 runs
Team Breakdown
St. Louis Cardinals
- Record: 8-9 (4th in NL Central)
- Recent Performance: The Cardinals won the series opener 8-3, powered by Nolan Arenado’s three-hit performance, which included two doubles and a home run. However, they struggled in Game 2, failing to score against Houston’s pitching staff.
- Key Players:
- Nolan Arenado (3B) – Batting .316 with 2 HR and 9 RBI.
- Paul Goldschmidt (1B) – Batting .289 with 3 HR and 11 RBI.
- Brendan Donovan (2B) – Batting .275 with 2 HR and 8 RBI.
- Pitching Matchup: Steven Matz (0-0, 2.31 ERA, 4.6 K/9) will make his first start of the season after appearing in relief five times.
Houston Astros
- Record: 8-9 (4th in AL West)
- Recent Performance: The Astros bounced back from their 8-3 loss in Game 1 with a 2-0 victory on Tuesday, thanks to Hunter Brown’s seven-inning shutout performance. Yordan Álvarez homered in the eighth inning to seal the win.
- Key Players:
- Yordan Álvarez (OF) – Batting .271 with 4 HR and 12 RBI.
- José Altuve (2B) – Batting .289 with 3 HR and 10 RBI.
- Jeremy Peña (SS) – Batting .267 with 2 HR and 7 RBI.
- Pitching Matchup: Ronel Blanco (1-1, 6.94 ERA, 12.3 K/9) will start for Houston. He has struggled, allowing 10 earned runs in 11 2/3 innings this season.
Game Outlook
The Cardinals have been solid offensively, ranking third in MLB with 90 runs scored, while the Astros rank 20th with 63 runs. However, Houston’s pitching staff has been improving, holding St. Louis to zero runs in Game 2.
With Matz making his first start and Blanco struggling, expect a high-scoring battle. If the Cardinals can get early offense from Arenado and Goldschmidt, they have a chance to take the series. However, Houston’s momentum from Game 2 and Álvarez’s power could give them the edge.
Houston Astros 8
St. Louis Cardinals – 112
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, April 15, 2025
