Pirates at Cardinals
The Pittsburgh Pirates can match their longest winning streak of the season when they visit the National League Central-rival St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday. The Pirates have won five in a row - all on the road - and eight of 10 to move back over the .500 mark for the first time since June 15 after Monday’s 4-2 victory in the first of four against the Cardinals.
Gregory Polanco belted two homers Monday, former Cardinal David Freese extended his hitting streak to six games and standout Andrew McCutchen (sore heel) returned to the lineup after missing Sunday’s contest. Freese is an impressive 11-for-22 with a homer against Mike Leake, who is scheduled to start for St. Louis on Tuesday against rookie Steven Brault. The Cardinals saw their three-game winning streak end Monday and lost for the first time in 12 contests against a National League Central foe. Matt Carpenter improved to 6-for-12 with four RBIs over three games after recording three hits and knocking in both runs for St. Louis on Monday.
TV: 8:09 p.m. ET, ESPN, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Steven Brault (NR) vs. Cardinals RH Mike Leake (5-6, 4.13)
The Pirates placed scheduled Tuesday starter Jameson Taillon on the disabled list Monday with right shoulder fatigue and Brault is expected to make his major-league debut. The 24-year-old Californian went 2-3 with a 2.57 ERA in eight starts with Triple-A Indianapolis this season, striking out 44 strikeouts in 35 innings. Brault was acquired from Baltimore in the Travis Snider deal before last season.
Leake regressed in June after a terrific month of May in which he posted 4-1 record and 2.31 ERA in six starts. The 28-year-old Arizona State product’s only victory in five outings last month was against Pittsburgh on June 12 when he permitted three runs (two earned) in seven innings. Jung Ho Kang is 3-for-7 with a homer against Leake, who is 9-4 with a 3.13 ERA lifetime versus the Pirates.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis OF Matt Holliday is 0-for-11 over the last three games and 1B Matt Adams has gone hitless in 15 at-bats the past five contests.
2. The Pirates placed C Chris Stewart (knee) on the disabled list and activated C Eric Fryer, who they claimed from the Cardinals on Sunday.
3. St. Louis OF Tommy Pham was scratched from Monday’s lineup with stiffness in his right shoulder and is considered day-to-day.