The St. Louis Cardinals started the week two games back of Cincinnati for first place in the National League Central division. By the end of the week, they’ll probably be two games ahead. The two clubs started a three -game series on Monday night with St. Louis coming out on top 7-3 on a masterful pitching performance by ace Chris Carpenter. The Cards reload for games two and three with Jaime Garcia and Adam Wainwright.

St. Louis boasts some of the best pitching in baseball. Cincinnati counters that with an incredible offensive lineup. Much like Carpenter and Wainwright do for the Cards, Joey Votto and Scott Rolen lead the charge for Cincinnati. No team in the NL has scored more runs than the Reds, while the Cardinals have allowed the third-fewest runs in all of baseball. These two teams are built quite differently, and when they get together, it’s like combining two acids together; something’s gonna blow.

By October, the race between these two clubs may not matter. One will have to get a playoff spot, while the other may clinch the wild card. Going in to Tuesday night’s action, the Cardinals are a mere game behind San Francisco, and a lot can change between now and game 162. St. Louis and Cincinnati only have five games left against each other this season, so each of their fates is left entirely in their own hands.

The NL Central really only features the Cards and the Reds. No other division in baseball has as much distance between the top two teams and the rest of the group, and the level of competition in the division, or lack thereof has taken away some of the media attention. But the pennant that Cincinnati and St. Louis are ready to battle for may be one of the toughest to win, so keep an eye open.