St. Louis @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2018 ) St. Louis 8, Pittsburgh 4

If the St. Louis Cardinals can get a big win in the finale of their three-game road series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, they might have a chance to make some noise in the National League Central race. The Cardinals will try to lock down a series victory over their division rivals before wrapping up their road trip with three-game sets against a pair of last-place teams.

St. Louis was in no man’s land at the non-waiver trading deadline and didn’t make many moves, but the Cardinals are tied with Pittsburgh for third place in the Central and 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs. With series at Miami and Kansas City looming, the Cardinals might be able to make a charge. The Pirates were more aggressive ahead of the deadline after surging back into the race with an 11-game winning streak, but they’ve dropped five of their last nine. Pittsburgh’s 8-4 loss to the Cardinals on Saturday was just its second defeat in its last 12 games against division foes.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), AT&T SportsNet - Pittsburgh

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Jack Flaherty (4-6, 3.49 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Trevor Williams (9-7, 3.89)

Flaherty hasn’t gotten much support lately, as he’s 1-4 over his last nine starts despite a respectable 4.03 ERA over that stretch. The 22-year-old rookie has failed to get through six innings in his last five outings, but that’s due in part to his high strikeout totals - he has recorded at least seven in his last three outings and six of his last nine. Flaherty is 1-1 with a 3.94 ERA in three starts against Pittsburgh.

Williams has thrown 17 consecutive scoreless innings over his past three starts, allowing 13 hits and eight walks with nine strikeouts. The 26-year-old outdueled Jacob de Grom to earn his third straight win on July 28, allowing five hits over six scoreless frames. Williams is 2-3 with a 7.44 ERA in nine games (six starts) against the Cardinals, including 1-1, 6.60 in three meetings this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis INF Matt Carpenter has hit nine home runs in 17 games since the All-Star break, including one in each of the past two contests.

2. Pirates LF Corey Dickerson (strained left hamstring) returned from the disabled list Saturday and flied out as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning.

3. Cardinals OF Dexter Fowler will not need surgery on his broken left foot suffered Friday, but he will spend about a month in a walking boot and could miss the remainder of the season.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Cardinals 3