Cardinals split series with Pirates in frustrating fashion

This weekend's series with the Pirates makes Cardinals' fans relieved they got by with a series split.

The Cardinals' rough start was capped off this weekend with a series split with the Pirates. The Pirates have greatly improved from years past, but this series had too many moments that frustrated Cardinals fans and made them wonder when the pain will end.

The Cardinals lost Thursday 5-0. They won on Friday 3-0. They lost Saturday 6-3 in extra innings. And, they won Sunday 5-4 in extra innings.

What happened in Cardinals loss Thursday?

Jordan Montgomery got his first season loss after 6.1 innings of work. He gave up six hits, two walks, and two earned runs. He was able to strike out five batters. Jordan Hicks only made it through one-third of an inning. He gave up two walks. Genesis Cabrera pitched one inning, giving up two home runs, but did strike out three batters. Chris Stratton pitched the final 1.1 innings, giving up a walk and an earned run. He did strike out one batter.

Sure, it's April but these first couple of weeks have been frustrating for the pitching staff. While it's been difficult for the pitching, it's been equally difficult for a seemingly high-powered lineup.

The Cardinals were able to put together six hits but got nothing from them. The team was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. They left ten runners on base. Ridiculous to see, even against a much improved Pirates team.

Jordan Walker's 12-game hitting streak ended Thursday as he went 0-for-4, striking out twice. Brendan Donovan had the better night of the lineup, going 2-for-5. The start of a long season can be frustrating as fans wait to see their teams dial it up for the long summer ahead. The Cardinals' expectations were extremely high, so it will be a relief for fans to see this team pick it up offensively.