Pittsburgh @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 25, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 0, St. Louis 1

Nearly one month into the season, Francisco Liriano still is looking for his first victory. Then again, the Pittsburgh Pirates just need wins at this point, no matter who they come from. Liriano and the slumping Pirates continue their three-game set with the host St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, one day after suffering a 1-0 defeat - their 12th loss in 15 games - in the series opener.

"We knew there would be challenges coming into the season," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said after his team managed only four hits on Friday. "We're getting to face our fair share of them in April. You just keep mounting up and you keep playing." Liriano has walked multiple batters in every start this season, but his teammates have done him no favors with two runs of support or fewer in four of his five outings. Tyler Lyons will make his second start of 2014 for the Cardinals in place of the injured Joe Kelly.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS1, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (0-3, 4.22 ERA) vs. Cardinals LH Tyler Lyons (0-1, 3.00)

Liriano has worked at least six innings in all five of his outings and is holding opponents to a .233 batting average, but he matched season highs by allowing four earned runs and seven hits in seven frames of Monday's 6-5 win over Cincinnati. Prior to that contest, the Pirates had scored a total of four runs in Liriano's previous four starts, including a 6-1 loss to St. Louis on April 5.

Lyons appeared in 12 games (eight starts) for the Cardinals last season, going 2-4 with a 4.75 ERA. One of those losses came against the Pirates, who scored four runs in six innings against the Texas native on July 30. In his first start of 2014 on Monday, Lyons limited the Mets to two runs in six frames but received no run support in the 2-0 defeat.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Cardinals' middle infielders have terrific career numbers against Liriano. SS Jhonny Peralta is 13-for-39 (.333) with two homers and seven walks, while 2B Mark Ellis is 8-for-13 with a homer.

2. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen homered against Lyons in last year's meeting while INF Jordy Mercer and OF Josh Harrison had two hits apiece.

3. Pittsburgh C Russell Martin likely won't be in the lineup after exiting Friday's game in the fifth inning with hamstring tightness.

PREDICTION: Pirates 3, Cardinals 2