Pirates vs. Cardinals 5/1/21

St. Louis Cardinals (14-12) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (12-13) - Saturday, May 1 @ 6:35 p.m.

Stadium: PNC Park, Pittsburgh.

TV: AT&T SportsNet

Radio: 93.7 The Fan

SB Nation Cardinals site: Viva El Birdos

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Starting Pitchers

Cardinals: Jack Flaherty - RHP - (4-0) – 3.18 ERA - 27 total Ks

Pirates: Trevor Cahill - RHP - (1-2) – 7.11 ERA – 19 total Ks

Probable Starting Lineups (subject to last-minute changes)

Cardinals

1. Tommy Edman – 2B

2. Dylan Carlson – RF

3. Paul Goldschmidt – 1B

4. Nolan Arenado – 3B

5. Paul DeJong – SS

6. Tyler O’Neill – LF

7. Andrew Knizner – C

8. Harrison Bader – CF

9. Jack Flaherty – P

Pirates

1. Adam Frazier – 2B

2. Phillip Evans – 3B

3. Bryan Reynolds – CF

4. Colin Moran – 1B

5. Gregory Polanco – RF

6. Kevin Newman – SS

7. Ka’ai Tom — LF

8. Michael Perez – C

9. Trevor Cahill – P

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The Pittsburgh Pirates will look to end a two-game skid this evening when they host the St. Louis Cardinals in the second game of their three-game set at 6:35 p.m. at PNC Park.

Trevor Cahill (1-2) gets the start for the Pirates while Jack Flaherty (4-0) opens for St. Louis.

Cahill has been inconsistent in his four Pirates starts, giving up seven runs in two of his first three outings but allowing only one run in each of his other two efforts.

His most recent start was his most effective, as he allowed just two hits and one earned run in six innings of work in a 6-2 win over the Twins a week ago today. The veteran right-hander walked just two and struck out two, throwing 54 of his 88 pitches for strikes.

He’ll have to go a ways to match Flaherty, though. The right-hander is tied for the NL lead in wins with Clayton Kershaw and has put together a 3.18 ERA in five starts.

So far on the year, Flaherty has yielded 19 hits and eight walks while striking out 27 in 28 1/3 innings.

Flaherty has had the Pirates’ numbers for the most part since becoming a mainstay in the Cardinals rotation in 2018. Of those who would be considered regulars in the Pirates’ lineup, only one player – Kevin Newman – has a career batting average of higher than .211 against Flaherty.

The numbers are not pretty: Adam Frazier, .211; Colin Moran, .200; Gregory Polanco, .154; Bryan Reynolds, .083; and Jacob Stallings, .200. Newman is 3 for 9 in his career against Flaherty.

A year ago, Flaherty won both of his decisions against Pittsburgh, striking out 17 and walking just two with a 2.08 ERA.

The Cardinals won Friday night’s series opener, 7-3, taking advantage of several Pirates miscues along the way. Ka’ai Tom, claimed off waivers from Oakland, would likely rather forget his first start in a Pirates uniform, as he had his troubles in left field, on the bases and at the plate.

Duane Underwood Jr., who had been effective in relief all season, yielded a three-run homer to pinch hitter Matt Carpenter with the Pirates trailing 3-1 in the sixth.