Pittsburgh @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2010 ) Pittsburgh 7, St. Louis 2
It’s all over for the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Pittsburgh Pirates need one more win to avoid another dubious record.
The Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates one day after being eliminated from postseason contention in a Wednesday matinee at Busch Stadium.
St. Louis suffered a 7-2 setback to Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, but was actually eliminated from the National League Central race an hour earlier when the Cincinnati Reds knocked off the Houston Astros 3-2. The Cardinals had won four of the last six division crowns.
The Pirates haven’t challenged for a division title for quite some time and they own the all-time professional sports record of 18 consecutive losing seasons. However, the Pirates have a reason to play hard.
Pittsburgh is 16-60 on the road and needs one more victory away from PNC Park to avoid the worst road record in the majors since the schedule was lengthened to 162 games in 1962. The New York Mets won 17 times in 1963.
The Pirates’ .210 winning percentage away from home is the ninth-worst since 1901. They have won three of their last 25 road games.
James McDonald (4-5, 4.25 ERA) will take the mound today for the Pirates in hopes of getting that 17th win.
Pittsburgh GM Neal Huntington has concentrated on stockpiling starting pitcher hopefuls since taking over the reins three years ago. Three of those finds, Jeff Karstens, Charlie Morton and Ross Ohlendorf, have combined for just six wins in 56 starts this season. McDonald has won four games himself in 10 starts with a 3.72 ERA since joining the Pirates.
McDonald is coming off his shortest outing of the season Friday in a no-decision against Houston. He yielded five hits, a pair of walks and three runs in four frames in the 10-7 loss.
P.J. Walters (1-0, 7.83 ERA) will make his third start of the season for St. Louis and fourth career. The long ball has hurt the 25-year-old. Walters has surrendered 11 home runs in 39 innings and has an 8.54 ERA in 14 games in his two-year career.
Walters picked up his only major league win on May 27 at San Diego, pitching five scoreless innings in an 8-3 triumph. The right-hander was knocked around at Pittsburgh last Tuesday in relief. The Bucs got him for five runs and seven hits, including a homer by Pedro Alvarez, in four innings in Pittsburgh’s 11-6 victory.
Alvarez, the reigning NL Player of the Week, is riding an eight-game hitting streak. He has three homers and 15 RBIs during the streak.