The St. Louis Cardinals are gearing up to face the Cincinnati Reds. Adam Wainwright will be on the mound for the Cardinals, while Graham Ashcraft is set to start for the Reds. This match-up is not at Coors Field, yet surprisingly, the game’s total is currently listed at a steep 10.5 runs at FanDuel Sportsbook, an indicator of the struggles that both pitchers have faced over the past 30 days.

Wainwright, despite his struggles, has been a dependable pitcher on the road throughout his career. Nevertheless, his performance at Busch Stadium has been remarkably better than his road games. The Reds, who are fresh off a thrilling extra-innings win over St. Louis, could possibly capitalize on this trend. Wainwright’s recent form, with a nearly 6 xFIP over the past 30 days and a lack of strikeouts, has fueled the argument to fade his performance in this road game.

Ashcraft, the starting pitcher for the Reds, has not fared much better recently, as indicated by his 5 xFIP over the last 30 days. Moreover, right-handed batters have had a healthy weighted on-base percentage of .366 against him during the same period. Given the significant number of heavy hitters in the Cardinals’ lineup, this could pose a serious challenge for Ashcraft.

However, it should be noted that Great American Ballpark is known to favor high-scoring matches, and the Reds’ lineup is not the strongest, which might present an opportunity for Wainwright to find some rhythm.

Despite these factors, an impressive total of 11 runs is needed outside of Coors to cash in a total ticket. Therefore, with the current form of the pitchers and the potential firepower in the Cardinals’ lineup, this game might deliver some unexpected results.

While Wainwright’s road struggles might be a concern, the Cardinals’ hitters could capitalize on Ashcraft’s recent struggles. Therefore, the anticipation of a high-scoring game is justified, making this match-up one to watch closely.