Major League Baseball

How to win $1,000 on Cardinals vs. Braves for free with FOX Super 6

Updated Jun. 19, 2021 2:09 p.m. ET

By Kevin Cooney
Special to FOX Sports

It is only Father’s Day. But for the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, it is getting late awfully early for their hopes to return to the playoffs.

Both teams started action Thursday on the outside looking in. The Cardinals are in fourth in the NL Central, while the Braves , tied for third in the NL East, are staring at a 10-game deficit to the Mets in the loss column.

Injuries have played a role in both teams' underachievement to this point. Yet both still have enough offensive firepower to crank the engine and get into prime playoff positioning as the trade deadline and the heat of summer crank up.

Enjoy Cardinals-Braves with the FOX Super 6 app on Saturday from The Battery in Atlanta (7:15 p.m. ET, FOX). The pitching matchup of Adam Wainwright vs. Drew Smyly has potential. And if you correctly answer all six questions in the MLB Late Inning Challenge, you can win $1,000. It’s easy and it's free – just download the FOX Super 6 app on your phone or mobile device.

Here are six things you should know about the Braves and Cardinals before Saturday.

1. Not-lanta

Where have the Braves gone wrong? In the late innings on the mound, things have been dicey. From the seventh inning on, the Braves are carrying a 4.45 ERA, which is 22nd in the majors. The .209 team average from the seventh inning on is also an anchor on the Braves, who just haven't gotten going yet in 2021.

2. Misery loves company

Take everything about the Braves' lineup's late-game struggles, and you can just substitute the Cardinals' names in there. After the seventh inning, St. Louis is hitting .208, 25th in the majors. The Cardinals' pitching late in games has been better, however, with a 3.95 ERA.

3. Help me, Ronald

The brightest light for the Braves has been Ronald Acuña Jr., who entered the weekend with a .294 average and 18 homers. Acuña has become one of the sport’s best shows, and he will undoubtedly love the Saturday night spotlight.

4. Ball in play

One of the biggest complaints about baseball right now has been the number of strikeouts. That’s one thing St. Louis has avoided so far – at least compared to its competitors. The Cards entered the weekend with 586 strikeouts, 21st in the bigs. They put the ball in play, and that’s critical.

5. Power surge

Entering the weekend, the Braves are second in the National League in homers, with 96, trailing only San Francisco (a bit of a surprise) in the NL and fourth in the sport overall. That is the main reason Atlanta still has some contact.

6. A critical stretch

Getting swept by the Cubs last weekend at Wrigley really hurt the Cards' chances of getting into the hunt in the NL Central. While St. Louis is still above .500 and has the Brewers and Cubs in its sights, the Cardinals can’t afford to slide any more before the All-Star break.

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