8* play on St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals are 3.5 games back of the first place Cubs in the NL Central, and they will be in San Diego tonight, taking on the cellar dwelling Padres. The Cardinals are a big favorite with their ace on the mound, but I think they'll prove to be well worth the price.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Pitching - Adam Wainwright will for the Red Birds, and he's still looking for his first "W" of the season. Wainwright (0-2, 8.27 ERA) allowed seven runs on 10 hits over 5.1 innings in a loss to the Reds in his last start. This looks like a good spot for him to break out of a funk, he's 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in his last three starts versus San Diego.

2. Batter vs. Pitcher - Matt Kemp leads the Padres with 4 home runs and 13 RBIs so far this season, but he has a history of struggling versus Wainwright. He's just 3-for-23 with four strikeouts lifetime versus the right-hander.

3. X-Factor - The Padres are 2-7 in Cashner's last 9 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.

Selection: This is a play on the St. Louis Cardinals (8*)