Series Preview: Pirates at Cardinals

After a disappointing 1-2 weekend in Milwaukee, the Pirates (64-67) visit another neighbor’s nicer house (figuratively speaking), visiting the surging St. Louis Cardinals (73-58).

Whether it’s correlation or causation, the Cards are 26-12 since Mike Shildt took the managerial reins from Mike Matheny.

Matt Carpenter (.273/.385/.579, 34 HR) is an MVP candidate. It looked bad that the Cardinals cut bait on Tommy Pham, but Harrison Bader (.280/.349/.444, 9 HR) has been freed. Cardinals Devil Magic is back, baby!

St. Louis is 19-5 in August, having rattled off an eight-game winning streak. The Cardinals are coming off a 2-1 road series win over the Rockies and have won five of six, leading the National League wild-card race, a half-game ahead of Milwaukee. They’re 4 1/2 back of the Cubs in the NL Central.

Season Series: 7-6 Cardinals

At Pittsburgh

April 27: Pirates 6, Cardinals 5, 11 innings

April 28: Pirates 6, Cardinals 2

April 29: Pirates 5, Cardinals 0

At Pittsburgh

May 25: Pirates 8, Cardinals 1

May 26: Cardinals 4, Pirates 1

May 27: Cardinals 6, Pirates 4

At St. Louis

May 31: Cardinals 10, Pirates 8

June 1: Pirates 4, Cardinals 0

June 2: Cardinals 3, Pirates 2

June 3: Cardinals 5, Pirates 0

At Pittsburgh

August 3: Pirates 7, Cardinals 6

August 4: Cardinals 8, Pirates 4

August 5: Cardinals 2, Pirates 1

Schedule

Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. — Ivan Nova (7-8, 4.20 ERA) vs. Jack Flaherty (7-6, 2.97); TV: AT&T SportsNet

Wednesday, 8:15 p.m. — Trevor Williams (10-9, 3.44) vs. Miles Mikolas (13-3, 2.94); TV: AT&T SportsNet

Thursday, 7:15 p.m. — Joe Musgrove (5-7, 3.56) vs. TBD; TV: AT&T SportsNet, MLB Network

Links

• The Cardinals have won nine straight series.
• Luke Weaver is a reliever.
• Mike Shildt is making his case to stick around.
• Matt Adams is back in St. Louis.

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Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images