After jumping out to a commanding 3-1 lead in the NLCS 2012, the (3-3) St. Louis Cardinals have allowed the (3-3) San Francisco Giants to come all the way back and force an elimination Game 7 tonight on their home turf.
AT&T Park in beautiful San Francisco, Calif., is sure to be rocking tonight as the Giants look end the defending World Series champions’ reign and advance to the 2012 Fall Classic for the second time in three years.
"There are two teams in the same boat right now. You'll see two teams go out and give it everything they've got," said Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt. "This is what we play all year for and we'll put it all on the line. This is Game 7. There's only one better Game 7. They are no more what-if scenarios."
First pitch for this exciting contest is slated for 8:07 p.m. EST (5:07 p.m. PST) and you can catch all the action live on TBS Sports. As far as who will win this game goes, MLB Playoffs picks and predictions experts list the home team as the betting favorite.
According to the latest Game 7 NLCS odds, San Francisco is listed as a 20/27 (-135 ML) betting favorite over St. Louis 5/4 (+125 ML).
The official OVER/UNDER is set at a combined total of 6½ runs, and alternate MLB Playoffs odds for this game go as follows:
- Cardinals: +1.5 (5/9 or -180 ML)
- Giants: -1.5 (8/5 or +160 ML)
As the old saying goes, "postseason baseball is all about momentum," and since "momentum in baseball is all about the next day's starting pitcher," here’s the pitching matchup for this 2012 NLCS Game 7:
- STL: Kyle Lohse (2012 MLB Playoffs: 1-0, 1.59)
- SF: Matt Cain (2012 MLB Playoffs: 0-1, 4.05)
"For some reason it seems like I wouldn't say we like it, but it seems like guys are playing really well when we get in this situation," Cain said. "Guys are just kind of letting it all hang out and it seems to be working out really well."
Game 7 NLCS 2012 picks: No one knows more about the importance of momentum than last year’s World Series champion Cardinals.
Having that said, momentum is not only on the Giants' side right now, but one also has to understand that the Cards had it and lost it by surrendering a 3 games to 1 lead. This will be the one thing that everyone, including the Cardinals, look back as being the difference in this series.
With a veteran pitcher like Cain on the mound and with a ballclub that simply will not quit behind him, I have to take the Giants at home tonight.
With home-field on the NL’s side, I expect the Giants to be the ones hosting Game 1 of the 2012 World Series against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. Take the Giants at a great -135 value in this winner-takes-all Game 7.
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