Cardinals Diamondbacks Betting – Diamondbacks Pin Hopes On Galaragga Versus Cardinals Tuesday

The Arizona Diamondbacks will look to get something going in the second of a three-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, marking the halfway point in a nine-game home stand. The Diamondbacks managed just two wins through their first two series of the MLB betting season on the road, and will need to perform well at home to have any chance of competing in the NL West division this season.

• St. Louis Cardinals @ Arizona Diamondbacks
• Tuesday April 12, 2011 – 9:40 PM ET
• Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona
• Online Sports Betting Odds: Diamondbacks – 110

It won’t be easy against a talented Cardinals’ team that has also started the year slow. St. Louis clubhouse isn’t as deep as some of the other units they have fielded over the past couple of seasons, so they will need their veterans to step up and contribute with consistency. The Milwaukee Brewers has improved at least on paper, and the Cincinnati Reds are one of the hottest teams in the majors to open the year, so the Cardinals will be in tough.

MLB Betting Preview: Cardinals

13-year veteran Chris Carpenter will take to the mound again on Tuesday still searching for his first win of the 2011 season. Carpenter allowed just three earned runs through 13 innings of work in his first two starts, but simply didn’t get the run support that he needed  to fall to 0-1 on the year. Perennial MVP candidate Albert Pujols has started the season slow with a .182 batting average through the first two series’ of the season, and will need to improve in order for St. Louis to have any chance of getting back to the top of the AL Central. There isn’t much depth in the order on this year’s Cardinals’ team, so they will need another strong showing from Carpenter.

MLB Betting Preview: Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks will send four-year veteran Armando Galarraga to the mound to counter Carpenter, and if he provide a similar effort to the performance he put forward in his first game of the year, he could be in line for another win. Galarraga allowed four runs on five hits through seven innings while sitting down five batters, and Arizona is relying on him to be a star. Catcher Miguel Montero has been the offensive star so far this year for a ball club that was lacking punch a year ago, and although he likely won’t be able to keep up at the pace he played at through the first two series’ Arizona will rely on him to be a leader.

MLB Betting: Outlook & Pick

Despite their early season struggles, the Diamondbacks aren’t as bad of a team as many projected them to be before the year got underway, and they are plenty capable of taking a couple of games at home against St. Louis. Galarraga looked solid in his 2011 debut, and Arizona is banking that he will bring his best sports betting bonus stuff again on Tuesday.