The set-up: Both teams are equally "hungry" for a victory, so we can throw the "motivation" factor out the window for this one in my opinion. The difference comes between the starting pitchers and I think we're getting great value on Max Scherzer in this case. The Cards hand the ball to Adam Wainwright.

The pitchers: Scherzer (10-6, 2.65 ERA) is 2-5 with a 2.95 ERA in ten career starts vs. the Cardinals.

Wainwright (12-9, 4.00) is 9-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 16 games vs. the Nationals. He's been hot of late, but I believe he's in the wrong place at the wrong time here.

The pick: With last night's 6-2 win to even this series, the Nats are now only 1.5 games ahead of the Cubs and Brewers in the NL Wildcard race. No time to take the foot off the gas here. Washington's bullpen looked sharp yesterday and I look for it to be a difference maker today as well. Lay the price.

10* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on the Washington Nationals.