Cardinals Face Tough Challenge Against Pirates After Recent Struggles

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The St. Louis Cardinals are set to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:45 p.m. EDT Monday, looking to end a five-game home losing streak. The Cardinals, currently 64-67, sit in fourth place in the National League Central, while the Pirates are in fifth place with a record of 57-74.

The matchup comes after a challenging stretch for the Cardinals, who have won just three of their last ten games. Their recent performance has been marked by struggles on the mound, posting a 6.00 ERA, and a batting average of just .244 during that stretch. In contrast, the Pirates have shown some improvement, going 6-4 in their last ten outings with a 3.21 ERA.

Cardinals pitcher Michael McGreevy, who has a record of 5-2 and a 4.26 ERA this season, will take the hill against Pirates’ Johan Oviedo, who has posted a 4.50 ERA with one win. McGreevy has seen mixed results this season but has demonstrated potential in his last few starts.

Alec Burleson has been one of the bright spots for the Cardinals this season, boasting a .285 batting average along with 20 doubles and 15 home runs. Willson Contreras has also been making his impact felt, hitting .286 with multiple hits in recent games.

The Cardinals have a solid home record of 35-30, and they are looking to build on that as they host the Pirates. The upcoming series against Pittsburgh could be pivotal for the team’s chances of getting back above .500 for the season. Currently, the Cardinals are five games out of the wild card race, making every game critical as they push for a postseason spot.

Injuries continue to affect the Cardinals, with key players such as Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado currently on the injured list. This has raised questions about their lineup stability as they aim to compete against the Pirates, who will be without several injured players of their own.

The game marks the tenth meeting between these two teams this season, with the Pirates leading the series 5-4. As both teams square off, fans will be eager to see if the Cardinals can turn their fortunes around or if the Pirates continue their recent upward trend.