St. Louis Cardinals host Pittsburgh Pirates

The St. Louis Cardinals had Monday off and start a two game series tonight against the Pittsburgh Pirates, which can be seen outside of the St. Louis market on the MLB Network and ESPN, respectively.
Jul 29, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) reacts on the field before playing the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Cardinals are coming off a win but they are having one of the worst slumps of the season as far as winning is concerned. It all started when the team departed for a series on the road against the Atlanta Braves. Three games, three losses. Next it was up to Pennsylvania for a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. How did that work out for the Cards? Six games, one win. They saved the runs for the final game of the series. Next, it was National League Central rival Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ballpark. The Cards showed up for that series with 2 wins and a loss but the run support was there to say the least.

It was then back home to play the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cards won just one game in the four game series. The Chicago Cubs came to town and just when it was thought that the Cardinals would be swept, the bats came alive for the final game of the series.

“I think my last couple starts, [it] has been a matter of two or three pitches to make the difference between a win and a loss for the team,” Adam Wainwright said in a MLB.com article. “Sometimes when you’re pitching against really good pitchers, like I do pretty much every time out there, you’ve got to be on your game or you’re going to lose.”

“We’ve got to realize that nobody is going to half-step when they come rolling in here or we go in to visit them,” manager Mike Matheny said in a MLB.com article. “We know we’re going to get their best effort, we’re going to get their best excitement. We’ve been getting great draws so there’s excitement in the stands whenever, and those are all compliments to the kind of caliber team we are.”

Wainwright (13-7, 2.66 ERA) takes the start against Pirates RHP Charlie Morton (4-3, 3.88 ERA).