St. Louis @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 29, 2012 ) St. Louis 0, Pittsburgh 5

Two of the hotter teams in the National League meet Monday in Pittsburgh when the Pirates host the St. Louis Cardinals. Pittsburgh looks to continue the momentum from a late-inning offensive uprising on Sunday, rallying from a five-run deficit to win for the fifth time in six games. Considering the Cardinals are the opposition, the Pirates have the right person on the mound in right-hander James McDonald. St. Louis hitters are hitting .100 against McDonald, who shut down St. Louis in two starts last season. Pittsburgh did not score for six innings Sunday, but put up 10 runs in the final two innings to cap a sweep of Cincinnati.

The Cardinals spent last week throwing up zeroes against the opposition, taking a 39-inning scoreless streak into the eighth inning Sunday. Even though St. Louis lost to Milwaukee in 10 innings, ,losing its bid for a fourth consecutive shutout in the process, the Cardinals have won six of their past eight. Lance Lynn is the last St. Louis starter to allow a run, giving up a single tally to the Reds in the fourth inning Tuesday. Lynn gets the call for the opener against Pittsburgh as St. Louis kicks off a 10-day road trip.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis), Root Sports (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (1-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. Pirates RH James McDonald (1-1, 3.75).

Lynn started the Cardinals’ recent run of dominant starting pitching in a 5-1 victory Tuesday against Cincinnati. Lynn struck out 10 hitters in six innings, holding the Reds to one run on four hits. Lynn bounced back from a shaky first outing April 3 at Arizona in which the right-hander surrendered four earned runs and walked three in four innings.

McDonald went 9-3 with a 2.37 ERA in the first half last season, but struggled after the All-Star break (3-5, 7.53). The right-hander shook off a four-run first inning in his last start, allowing nothing else in a five-inning stint for his first victory. McDonald beat the Cardinals in both of his two 2012 starts, holding St. Louis to four hits and no runs in 13 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Lynn made five appearances (four starts) against Pittsburgh last season, going 2-1 with a 4.44 ERA.

2. Pittsburgh won the season series 8-7 in 2012.

3. St. Louis has allowed 11 runs in the ninth inning this season.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 3, Pirates 2