Pittsburgh @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 27, 2013 ) Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates are making a habit of finishing games with a flourish. The Pirates look to build off another late rally when they visit the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday for the rubber match of a three-game series. Pittsburgh turned a two-run deficit into a 5-3 win on Saturday by scoring four runs in the seventh and one in the eighth against the St. Louis bullpen. Russell Martin's two-run homer began the comeback.

The rally gave the Pirates a 37-19 advantage from the seventh inning on this season. With a win Sunday, Pittsburgh would improve to 5-0-1 in its last six series and take over the top spot in the National League Central. The Cardinals had won four straight before Saturday, including a 9-1 win in the series opener. They turn to young standout Shelby Miller in their bid to avoid a series loss for the first time since dropping two of three to Arizona to start the season.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Jeff Locke (2-1, 3.74 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Shelby Miller (3-1, 2.16)

Locke has made the most of his opportunity after a handful of injuries to the Pirates rotation. The 25-year-old is coming off the best outing of his career Tuesday at Philadelphia. He let up just two hits and struck out six in six scoreless innings, outdueling fellow left-hander Cole Hamels. That was a rare road gem for Locke, who has struggled away from home in his limited major-league career. Prior to the win in Philadelphia, he was 0-5 with an 8.65 ERA in six career road starts. Locke has never faced St. Louis.

Miller's lone loss in 10 career outings (five starts) came April 17 at Pittsburgh, but he did nothing that night to take away from a phenomenal start to his season. Miller allowed only two runs on six hits in six innings, but got no support in a 5-0 loss to the Pirates. Excluding that one, he is 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA. On Monday at Washington, he limited the Nationals to only three hits while striking out eight, matching his career high. The former first-round pick has yet to allow a run in 15 innings at home in his career, striking out 19 and walking just two in the process.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh's bullpen has a 2.47 ERA in a National League-high 91 innings..

2. St. Louis' bullpen has a 5.52 ERA over 60 1/3 innings, the second least in the NL..

3. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen, a .327 hitter last year, is 1-for-22 over his last six games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Pirates 3