St. Louis @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 30, 2015 ) St. Louis 2, Pittsburgh 8

The St. Louis Cardinals can clinch their third consecutive National League Central title with a victory over the rival Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in either game of the doubleheader on Wednesday. Matt Carpenter, who scored the eventual game-winning run in Monday's 3-0 triumph, is 19-for-52 (.365) with six homers, 11 runs scored and 10 RBIs in his last 13 games.

Carpenter scored on a single in the ninth inning by Jon Jay, who entered the game after rookie Stephen Piscotty (head contusion) was involved in a horrific outfield collision. While the Cardinals reside one victory shy of 100, the Pirates sit four games out of the division after Tuesday's tilt was rained out. Pittsburgh, which has lost nine of the 17 meetings with St. Louis this season, has dropped two in a row following an eight-game winning streak. Andrew McCutchen has struggled mightily to the tune of 4-for-25 (.160) in his last eight contests.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Tyler Lyons (2-1, 3.96 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Charlie Morton (9-8, 4.54)

Lyons gets the nod in place of the injured Carlos Martinez (shoulder) and will make his eighth start of the season. The 27-year-old has dropped both career decisions to Pittsburgh, but walked away with a no-decision despite yielding a run on two hits in one-third inning of relief. Lyons struck out five and scattered two hits in 3 2/3 innings in his last trip to the mound, again receiving a no-decision versus Milwaukee.

Morton has endured constant nightmarish performances en route to a 2-11 career mark versus St. Louis while allowing the club to bat .305 against him. The 31-year-old is 1-4 in his last six outings overall and escaped with a no-decision despite permitting six runs on 10 hits - including two homers - in 4 1/3 frames versus Colorado last Wednesday. Morton has yielded 12 runs on 19 hits in his last two starts (8 1/3 innings) and four homers in his last three outings after keeping the ball in the park in each of his previous four.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis C Yadier Molina will miss the remainder of the regular season after he partially tore ligaments in his left thumb on Sept. 20.

2. Pittsburgh SS Jordy Mercer is 0-for-7 in his last two games after collecting 10 hits in his previous six contests.

3. Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright (leg) was activated on Tuesday and could appear out of the bullpen for the first time since 2006.

PREDICTION: Pirates 3, Cardinals 1