St. Louis @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( May 8, 2016 ) Pittsburgh 10, St. Louis 5

The eighth time turned out to be the charm for the St. Louis Cardinals, who needed that many attempts to finally move a season-high four games over .500. Eight attempts has not been enough for right-hander Michael Wacha, who goes for his first win in nine starts when the Cardinals open a three-game set at the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Even though Wacha is 0-6 over his last eight starts, St. Louis has won four of five to pull into a second-place tie with Pittsburgh in the National League Central. Catcher Yadier Molina was 6-for-12 while Brandon Moss went 4-for-9 with a pair of homers and four RBIs as the Cardinals won two of three in Cincinnati. The Pirates spent what was scheduled to be a day off criss-crossing the country for a makeup game at Colorado and came out on the short end of an 11-5 decision to lose for the ninth time in 13 games. Pittsburgh is 5-1 against St. Louis, including a season-opening three-game sweep.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (2-6, 5.16 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (5-4, 2.85)

Wacha's winless drought stretched to eight starts following a five-inning stint versus San Francisco on Saturday in which he permitted four runs on six hits. The 24-year-old Wacha has been knocked around for 31 runs over his last six turns and has failed to pitch beyond five innings in four of them. Wacha allowed four earned runs in each of his two outings against the Pirates this season to fall to 3-2 with a 4.02 ERA in eight career starts.

Although Cole has not won in his last three trips to the mound, he has not permitted more than three runs in any of his last six outings. Cole did not factor in the decision last time out against the Los Angeles Angels, registering a quality start by yielding three runs over 6 2/3 innings. Cole matched his season high with seven strikeouts while giving up two runs in six innings at St. Louis on May 8 to improve to 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA versus the Cardinals.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals 1B Matt Adams ran his hitting streak to nine games with a pinch-hit single Thursday, but he is batting .209 lifetime versus Pittsburgh.

2. Pirates 2B Josh Harrison is 10-for-22 during a five-game hitting streak.

3. Cardinals 2B Matt Carpenter has hit safely in six straight games and is 17-for-36 over his last nine contests.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Pirates 3