Orioles Fly Into St. Louis Looking to Extend Cardinals' August Misery

The Orioles roll into Busch Stadium on Tuesday night, and the Cardinals better hope their bats wake up from this late-summer slumber. St. Louis has been spinning its wheels lately while Baltimore continues to flex its muscle in what's shaping up as another playoff push from the revamped AL East contender.

Baltimore's pitching staff has been stingy on the road, and they're catching a Cardinals squad that's struggled to generate consistent offense against quality arms. The Orioles' lineup depth—top to bottom—gives them multiple ways to manufacture runs, while St. Louis has leaned too heavily on a couple of bats to carry the load. That's a recipe for trouble against a team that doesn't give you many mistakes to exploit.

The Cardinals' home field advantage at Busch typically plays, but August hasn't been kind to this club. They need length from their starter and some timely two-out hitting, neither of which has been reliable lately. Meanwhile, Baltimore's been road warriors all season, playing with the kind of swagger that suggests they believe they can win anywhere.

DarkHorse hasn't dropped a pick yet, but the situational edge tilts toward the visitors. The Orioles have the better bullpen, the hotter lineup, and the momentum. St. Louis needs to prove it, not the other way around.