posted June 13, 2008 at 17:13 EST in MLB Free Picks

BetUS MLB betting odds: Philadelphia -120, St. Louis - Even; Total 9.5

A couple of teams with the same record will get together on Friday night when the Philadelphia Phillies (40-28) visit the St. Louis Cardinals (40-28) in a National League game that is set to get underway at 8:15 PM ET at Busch Stadium, (natural turf) in St. Louis.

Right-handers oppose each other, as Kyle Kendrick (5-2, 4.87 ERA) of the Phillies faces off against Kyle Lohse (7-2, 3.92 ERA) of the Cards.

At BetUS online sportsbook, Philadelphia is listed as a -120 sports betting favorite (St. Louis is even money), with a total of 9.5 runs (the Under is -115, while the Over is -105).

Here are some of the MLB Baseball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* PHIL has won 13 of its last 17 games

* PHIL has played its last ten games UNDER the total

* PHIL has won five of its last seven road games

* PHIL has played its last six road games UNDER the total

* STL has won four of its last five games

* STL has won four of its last six home games

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:

* PHIL has won nine of the last 12 meetings

* Five of the last six meetings have gone OVER the total

* PHIL has won nine of the last 11 meetings as the road team

The Phillies have won 13 of 17, and have assumed the lead in the National League East, although it would be a stretch to say they have really taken command. Philadelphia is three games ahead of the Florida Marlins, and at 19-15 is one of only two National League teams (St. Louis is the other) to have a road record that is over .500. Last night, Jamie Moyer and Brad Lidge combined on a three-hit shutout in a brilliant performance that salvaged a win in the three-game series against the Marlins. And of course, as everyone is aware, Chase Utley has been arguably the best all-around player in the NL, as he makes a bid to join Ryan Howard and Jimmie Rollins as MVP's in the Philadelphia infield.

Kyle Kendrick may not be super-effective lately, but his team has reaped the benefits, partially because they have been able to score runs. The Phillies have won nine of his last ten starts, and they have scored an average of 6.4 runs in those contests, which is 1.2 runs per game above their season average.

St. Louis had a four-game winning streak snapped when they lost a 6-2 decision to the Reds on Thursday night. The Cards had a hard time getting to Bronson Arroyo, and had a difficult time getting the Cincinnati right-hander out as well, as Arroyo blasted a home run. St. Louis comes back home here, where they are 21-13 on the season. They are three and a half games behind the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs.

Kyle Lohse has been brilliant against the Phillies, though the games have been spread over the past couple of seasons. In 2006 he held Philadelphia to just a single earned run over 6-1/3 innings, and last time against this opponent he shut the Phils out on six hits over seven frames while he was a member of the Reds. Lohse has also been more than solid in his last five starts, compiling a 2.17 ERA with a 5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Cardinals have won all five of those games. Last time out Lohse pitched six innings against the Astros and gave up three runs and five hits in a 5-4 St. Louis win.

We think Lohse's recent performance, and the Cardinals' potency at Busch Stadium, are enough for us to move with the home team at this even money price in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: ST. LOUIS (Even)

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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com touches all the bases as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)