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St. Louis Cardinals magic number is down to 2 for Wild Card

The St. Louis Cardinals' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is only two, and could clinch as soon as Monday night.

Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire

The St. Louis Cardinals' magic number to clinch the last NL Wild Card berth is two after both they and the Dodgers won on Sunday. The Cardinals start their final series of the regular season against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night, with Jaime Garcia (6-7, 3.99 ERA) heading to the mound to face off against Bronson Arroyo (12-9, 3.70 ERA). The Cards can clinch a playoff berth with a win and a Dodgers loss to San Francisco.

The Dodgers face the Giants in their final series of the year, and will send Aaron Harang (10-10, 3.68 ERA) to the hill, where he'll face Giants ace Matt Cain (16-5, 2.77 ERA). The Dodgers have won five games in a row, so it would seem that they have momentum on their side. However, their margin for error is minimal. Both the Cardinals and Dodgers' opponents have already clinched division titles, but Cincinnati is tied with the Washington Nationals for the best record in the National League, so they still have something to play for.