Same-game parlay Cubs-Cards Fri. 9/2: How much better is St. Louis? Let us count the ways

The last couple of MLB parlays haven't gone well, but with Jordan Montgomery pitching great and the St. Louis Cardinals playing well, betting on the Redbirds is totally worth. Best part is you're getting even odds too. 

Not sure how much needs to be said about taking St. Louis over Chicago, but in case you need some reassurance, here it is. The Cardinals finished with the second-best record in baseball last month at 22-7 and are 10-6 head-to-head against the Cubs. Across the board — pitching, defense, offense, baserunning, etc. — St. Louis is just better. 

The Cardinals are preparing for the postseason while the Cubs are still trying to assess who should be part of their long-term plans. Chicago finished with its first .500 month of the year and first since May 2021 with Wednesday's 7-5 win over Toronto, but still, they're not on the same level as the Redbirds. 

And St. Louis had Chicago's number in August, beating them six out of eight times. What's even better is that Jordan Montgomery is starting for St. Louis on Friday. Since getting acquired by St. Louis, Montgomery is 4-0 with a 1.76 ERA in five starts. 

I know Montgomery got tagged for five runs in his last start against Atlanta, but the Cubs have nowhere near the same offensive firepower as the Braves. And in case you forgot, Montgomery tossed a one-hit, complete game shutout two starts ago against the Cubs. Friday might not be all that different. 

As for the first inning, take the Cardinals simply because Cubs starter Adrian Sampson has really struggled as of late, especially in his last outing against St. Louis. The Redbirds tagged Sampson for five runs in the third, and never looked back in a 13-3 win. With a tie giving you a win on this leg, it's totally worth it. 

As for the Cardinals scoring two runs before the Cubs, jump on it. Could the visiting Cubs jump on Montgomery in the first? Sure, they could. But Montgomery owned Chicago the last time he faced them and St. Louis has the much better top of the order. There's even a strong chance the Cubs don't score two runs in this one. 

Rivalry games are always a little riskier to bet, but with the Cardinals surging into September, it's totally worth riding the Redbirds in this SGP.

The Bet: St. Louis Cardinals over Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals +0.5 Runs 1st Inning AND St. Louis Cardinals first to score two runs (+100 odds via DraftKings)

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