Pittsburgh @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 5, 2018 ) St. Louis 2, Pittsburgh 1

It's not like the St. Louis Cardinals need much help these days but they'll begin a 15-game stretch playing teams out of postseason contention when they host a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates beginning Tuesday. St. Louis, which is 4 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central but two games clear of third-place Colorado in the wild-card race, is 19-5 in August and has won nine straight series after taking two of three at fellow wild-card contender Colorado over the weekend.

"I don't know why it shouldn't last the rest of the year," Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter told reporters about the successful run. "I don't see why it couldn't." Carpenter knows a thing - or two - about getting hot after tying a major league record with four doubles in Sunday's 12-3 victory, giving him a share of the NL lead in two-baggers with Atlanta's Nick Markakis (38) to go along with a league-high 34 home runs. Pittsburgh (64-67) has won only three of its last 13 games after a 7-4 loss at Milwaukee on Sunday. St. Louis rookie Jack Flaherty hasn't lost in four August starts and opposes Ivan Nova, who has a 2.41 ERA in his last three outings since beginning the month with a loss to St. Louis on Aug. 4.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FS Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Ivan Nova (7-8, 4.20 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Jack Flaherty (7-6, 2.97)

Nova has suffered from a lack of run support (one run) in his last two starts, allowing a combined three runs and 11 hits over 12 2/3 innings in losses to Atlanta on Aug. 21 and the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 16. The 31-year-old Dominican has yielded three or fewer earned runs in seven of his last eight starts, going 3-2 with a 3.63 ERA during that span. Yadier Molina is 6-for-10 with a home run against Nova, who is 1-2 with a 4.88 ERA in five starts versus St. Louis after permitting four runs in four innings of an 8-4 loss to the Cardinals Aug. 4.

Flaherty is 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA in August after receiving a no-decision at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, when he allowed only one hit - a solo home run to Joc Pederson - and two walks while striking out 10 across six innings of St. Louis' 3-1 victory. The 22-year-old Californian, who leads rookies with 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings, has struck out a minimum of seven in his last seven starts and is tougher on left-handed batters (.183 batting average) rather than righties (.205). Francisco Cervelli is 1-for-9 with five strikeouts versus Flaherty, who is 2-1 with a 2.86 ERA in four starts versus Pittsburgh - all this season - after recording six shutout innings in a 2-1 road victory Aug. 5.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong did not play Sunday after leaving Saturday's game after straining his left hamstring.

2. Pirates 2B-OF Adam Frazier (.282) went 6-for-13 with two home runs, seven RBIs and four runs scored in the three-game Milwaukee series over the weekend and is batting .354 with four home runs and 17 RBIs since being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on July 25.

3. St. Louis is trying to win its fifth straight season series versus Pittsburgh, winning seven of the first 13 games in 2018 - including 3-1 at Busch Stadium where the clubs will reconvene Sept. 10-12.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 3, Pirates 2