Cardinals at Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates needed to make some history in order to beat the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday for the first time this season. The Pirates will be looking for their first series win since sweeping Arizona from April 24-26 when they host the Cardinals in the rubber match of their three-game set on Sunday.
Pittsburgh turned the first 4-5-4 triple play in major-league history on Saturday, when second baseman Neil Walker leaped to snare a line drive, threw to third for the second out and got back to the bag in order to receive the return throw for the third out. The Pirates battled back from a deficit to earn the 7-5 win in that one, giving Pittsburgh its second victory in eight games. The Cardinals have yet to drop a series this season and had taken 10 of 11 prior to Saturday’s setback. The seven runs allowed marked the most for the St. Louis staff in a loss.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), ROOT (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Tyler Lyons (0-0, 6.23 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Jeff Locke (2-2, 4.85)
Lyons is getting a chance to stick in a rotation that needs healthy arms following Adam Wainwright’s season-ending injury as he makes his second start of the season. The Oklahoma State product was reached for four runs (three earned) on six hits in 4 1/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. Lyons has made three appearances – two starts – against Pittsburgh in his career, going 0-2 with a 4.20 ERA.
Locke earned the win in his first two starts but has not been as sharp in the last three. The 27-year-old has allowed a total of 14 runs (13 earned) in 15 2/3 innings while walking eight in those last three outings. Locke is 2-2 with a 3.76 ERA in five career starts against the Cardinals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates LF Starling Marte (severe dizziness) left Saturday’s game in the third inning.
2. St. Louis LF Matt Holliday is 10-for-21 during a five-game hitting streak.
3. Walker is 5-for-11 with three RBIs and four runs scored in his last three games.