Philadelphia Phillies (47-28) AT Saint Louis Cardinals (40-35)

June 23, 2011 at 8:15 PM EST

Opening Moneyline: PHI -115, STL -105

Current Moneyline: STL -111, PHI -109

Opening Total: 8

Current Total: 7

SP: PHI- Roy Oswalt; STL- Chris Carpenter

Tonight’s matchup features two pitchers who are both struggling, despite once having been aces. Oswalt will attempt to enabel the Phillies to win their third straight and sweep the series against the formidable Cardinals.

Cliff Lee threw an impressive six hitter shutout on Wednesday as the Phillies won 4-0. Lee has thrown 23 consecutive scoreless innings and is 4-0 with a 0.27 ERA this month.

“There’s total gratification,” Lee said. “Every time I want to throw the whole game, there’s no doubt about it.”

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins and First baseman Ryan Howard both had 2 hits, and both had one homer. Rollis is batting .261 on the season while Howard is .261.

Howard has struckout 84 times in 276 at bats and has 61 RBIs so far, at here nearly at the half way point of the season. His current pace would elipse last year’s 108 but not match the year he had in 2009 when he had 141 RBIs and a .279 Batting Average.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel thinks that Oswalt will rebound to be his former self soon.

“I think you’ll see him come out pretty soon and his fastball will be back where it was,” Manuel said. “I think it’s just a matter of time before you see his fastball jump up. There’s nothing wrong with the way he’s throwing.”

In his career against the Cardinals, Oswalt is 9-7 with a 3.12 ERA. Although, in the 7 games stretching back to 2007, he is 0-3 with a 3.89 ERA, perhaps only a further sign of his regression.

Reigning MVP Albert Pujols is expected to miss six weeks with a fractured wrist. He had previously dominated Oswalt, as well, so the injury has to come as a relief to Oswalt.

“He’s arguably the best player in the National League,” Lee said of Pujols. “He’s an obvious threat and anytime he’s not in the lineup you feel better about that when you’re the opposing pitcher.”

Chris Carpenter hasn’t been particularly impressive yet either. He has a 1-7 record with a 4.47 ERA and he hasn’t won in his last 7 starts. In his last start against the Phillies, Carpenter threw 8 innings as he went 16-9 with a 3.22 ERA. Friday, he threw 124 pitches, well more than he usually does and his most in nearly a full decade, as the Cardinals lost to the Royals 5-4.

Some betting trends:

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the Phillies last 6 games and the Phillies are 10-2 SU in their last 12 games. The Phillies are 4-2 SU in their last 6 on the road and the total has gone UNDER in 4 of the Phillies last 5 games on the road. The total has gone UNDER also in 5 of their last 6 against the Saint Louis Cardinals and it has also gone UNDER in 5 of the last 6 road games against the Cardinals.

The total has gone OVER in 6 of the Carindals’ last 8 games and they are 2-9 SU in their last 11 games. The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the Cardinals’ last 6 games against the Phillies. The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the Cardinals’ last 6 games at home against the Phillies.

It’s really an evenly matched battle between two over the hill pitchers. Either could work magic and regain their former form and the total has shifted from 8 to 7 since betting opened, making it not really a prudent bet at the current line.