Game Details
Major League Baseball is staging a momentous game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, on Thursday night. The San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals will face off in a regular-season game at the historic ballpark. Rickwood Field holds a special place in baseball history as the site where Willie Mays made his professional debut in 1948. Sadly, the baseball legend passed away earlier this week, adding a poignant note to the upcoming event.Game Summary
Who: Giants vs. CardinalsDate: Thursday, June 20
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Location: Rickwood Field (Birmingham, Alabama)
Probable Pitchers: RHP Keaton Winn (3-7, 6.66 ERA) vs. RHP Andre Pallante (2-3, 4.61 ERA)
Odds: SF -115 | STL -105
Over/Under: 9.0
Storylines
The Giants
The San Francisco Giants enter this game with a mixed record, having lost four of their last six games. They currently hold a 36-39 record and are one game out of the third NL wild-card spot. Keaton Winn, who had a promising start to the season, has struggled mightily in recent outings. While he finished April with three solid performances, he has posted a 13.02 ERA across his last five starts. Nevertheless, Winn managed a quality start in his last outing against the Angels, providing a glimmer of hope for Giants fans.The Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals have shown flashes of brilliance this season. Recently, they rose above .500 for the first time since early in the season. However, they suffered two consecutive walk-off losses to the Miami Marlins, bringing their record to 36-37. They are currently 7.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central and are tied with the Nationals for the second and third wild-card spots. Andre Pallante, who started the season as a reliever, transitioned to the rotation, making only four starts so far. He averages just 4 1/3 innings per start with a 3.63 ERA. His last outing saw him throw just 59 pitches, which could strain the Cardinals' bullpen.Prediction
Major League Baseball will likely have a pre-game ceremony honoring the Negro Leagues and Willie Mays. Such tributes will likely strike an emotional chord and set a reverent tone for the evening. The sweltering weather in Birmingham should make Rickwood Field a hitter-friendly environment, even though the ballpark's characteristics are quite unique and somewhat unpredictable. Given the subpar form of both starting pitchers and the potentially taxed bullpens, a high-scoring affair is anticipated. Expect fireworks as both teams capitalize on favorable hitting conditions.Prediction: Giants 8, Cardinals 7
Major League Baseball is sure to put together a poignant pre-game ceremony honoring the Negro Leagues and Willie Mays.