The Pittsburgh Pirates will look to keep their three game NL Central lead over the St. Louis Cardinals when the two teams clash Tuesday night at 8:15 pm ET.
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Via ESPN:
St. Louis has juggled its rotation so Adam Wainwright can start Tuesday night's opener of this much-anticipated three-game series opposite Charlie Morton, who has lost five straight to the Cardinals.
Pittsburgh (70-47) heads to Busch Stadium with a 7-3 record against St. Louis (67-50), winning four of five at home July 29-Aug. 1 to take over the Central lead.
St. Louis was outscored 22-7 in the first four games of that set before salvaging a 13-0 victory in the finale to snap a season-high seven-game losing streak.
"I know our guys are looking forward to playing them again," manager Mike Matheny said. "We're anxious about it. There's a little added excitement with them coming in town and something to prove. We're a better team than we showed in Pittsburgh."
Matheny mandated a day away from the park on Monday's off day with his club a loser of 13 of 18.
"We're locking the clubhouse doors just in case anybody has a stupid idea," he said.
The Cardinals have dropped three straight starts by Wainwright (13-7, 2.66 ERA), who allowed four runs in seven innings and did not get a decision in a 5-4 loss at Pittsburgh on July 31. He's 0-2 with a 4.29 ERA during that span, and will have three extra days of rest since pitching last Monday against the Dodgers.
The right-hander, second in the majors with 175 2/3 innings pitched, is 9-6 with a 2.93 ERA in 17 career starts with at least six days off.
"I'm always excited to take the ball," Wainwright told the Cardinals' official website. "That's why we work hard in between starts."
Wainwright's 5.19 ERA against Pittsburgh is his second-highest against any NL club.
Numerous Pirates have good numbers against him. Russell Martin is 9 for 19, Andrew McCutchen is 9 for 23, Jose Tabata 6 for 13 and Neil Walker 5 for 13.
