Game Thread: Bucs hope to shine again versus Cardinals

After last night’s decisive 9-4 win, including a seventh inning offensive that can only be described as swashbuckling, the Pittsburgh Pirates hope to take that hot hand into tonight’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park. Steven Brault (4-3, 3.88 ERA) will take the hill for the Bucs, while veteran Adam Wainwright (10-9, 4.30 ERA) will go for the Cards.

In his last outing against the Colorado Rockies on September first, Brault was in good control of his fastball—he threw 69 heaters in a row at one point—and tossed a decent 6.1 innings, giving up five hits and two walks while fanning five. He also helped himself out at the plate, launching only his second homer since (no lie) high school. Since his return from the IL on May twenty-ninth, Squid’s been rather spiffy, sporting a 2.71 ERA and a .303 batting average. His three 2019 appearances against the Cardinals, however, have been decidedly non-spiffy, with only ten innings pitched and a dismal 9.90 ERA.

His current record might not really reflect it thanks to a rocky beginning, but Wainwright has rebounded nicely from his injury-riddled 2018 season and has been his usual dependable self for the Redbirds. He threw a seven-inning beauty against the San Francisco Giants on September second, allowing only four hits with no runs or walks, the third time he’s had a scoreless start. The Bucs would do well to try to knock Uncle Charley out of the game early, because the longer he goes, the more dangerous he becomes. In his last ten starts, he’s gone 5-2, and in four of those wins he went six innings or more.

The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Eastern on AT&T SportsNet.

CARDINALS LINEUP

1 S Dexter Fowler, RF

2 L Kolten Wong, 2B

3 R Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

4 R Marcell Ozuna, LF

5 R Paul DeJong, SS

6 R Yadier Molina, C

7 S Tommy Edman, 3B

8 R Harrison Bader, CF

9 R Adam Wainwright, RHP

PIRATES LINEUP

1 R Kevin Newman, SS

2 S Bryan Reynolds, LF

3 R Starling Marte, CF

4 S Josh Bell, 1B

5 L Colin Moran, 3B

6 R Jose Osuna, RF

7 L Adam Frazier, 2B

8 R Elias Diaz, C

9 L Steven Brault, LHP