Cardinals at Pirates
The St. Louis Cardinals weren't shy with their offense as they scored 15 runs in their three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium earlier this month. Fresh off erupting for erupting for 25 runs in a three-game sweep of Cincinnati, the Cardinals aim to keep the offense churning versus the Pirates on Friday when the National League Central rivals meet at PNC Park.
Dexter Fowler highlighted his second three-hit performance in three contests in Thursday's 8-5 victory over the Reds, improving to 11-for-21 with three homers, nine RBIs and seven runs scored during his five-game hitting streak. Tommy Pham is 9-for-19 during his last four contests for St. Louis, which resides five games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs and 1 1/2 back of Colorado for the second wild-card spot. The Cardinals have won 10 of the 16 encounters this season versus the Pirates, who saw Adam Frazier deliver a walk-off two-run homer on Wednesday to snap a seven-game losing skid. The 25-year-old is 10-for-32 with eight RBIs in nine games since coming off the disabled list and 18-for-55 with two homers, 11 RBIs and eight runs scored versus St. Louis this season.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), AT&T SportsNet (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (12-8, 4.02 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Ivan Nova (11-14, 4.20)
Wacha saw his three-game winning streak come to a halt on Saturday after allowing three runs and five walks in 5 2/3 innings of a 4-1 loss to the Cubs. The 26-year-old held Pittsburgh in check in his last outing on Sept. 10, permitting five hits and striking out seven in eight scoreless innings in a 7-0 rout. Wacha owns a 2-1 mark with a 2.89 ERA in three starts versus the Pirates this season, but his 6.53 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in six career starts at PNC Park leaves a bit to be desired.
Nova lost his fourth straight start on Saturday despite yielding two runs on three hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 2-1 setback at Cincinnati. The 30-year-old Dominican may be in the midst of a difficult stretch, but Friday's start - his 30th of the season - will be a profitable one as he will receive a $750,000 bonus as part of an incentive in his contract. Nova's lone win in his last seven starts came at the expense of St. Louis on Aug. 20, when he allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-3 triumph.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis C Yadier Molina has four extra-base hits and seven RBIs during his four-game hitting streak.
2. Pittsburgh LF Starling Marte is 4-for-8 in his last two contests after missing four games with left shoulder and finger discomfort.
3. Cardinals 1B Jose Martinez has 12 hits and six RBIs in his last nine contests.