Pirates at Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals had a chance to make a statement over the last two weeks with four straight series against some of the best teams in baseball, but the message they got back was not the one they were looking for. The Cardinals will try to avoid setting a season high with a sixth straight loss Friday when they host the opener of a three-game set against the sinking Pittsburgh Pirates.
Following a loss to Arizona in its first game after the All-Star break, St. Louis won 12 of its next 14 to rise to the top of the National League Central. The Cardinals still held a slim lead in the division despite dropping three of six to Houston and the Chicago Cubs before their offense compiled a seven total runs during a winless five-game West Coast trip that included two losses to Oakland and three against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their recent struggles pale in comparison to the Pirates (48-66), who started the second half of the season only one-half game behind St. Louis (58-55) but have won only four times in 25 contests since. "I'm sure there's some guys in there that are questioning some of the things that are going on as far as why they are not getting the results they want. ... They just want results. So, we need to play better," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle told reporters following Wednesday's 8-3 loss to Milwaukee.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FS Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Chris Archer (3-8, 5.35 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Dakota Hudson (10-6, 3.99)
Archer was stuck with a no-decision despite turning in one of his better performances of the year Saturday, allowing one run while striking out six over six innings against the New York Mets. Even with his solid showing, the two-time All-Star is 0-3 with a 5.50 ERA during a 10-game winless streak dating back to June 6. Paul Goldschmidt (3-for-10, one homer, four RBIs) and Kolten Wong (3-for-6, home run) have fared well versus Archer, who is 0-1 with a 3.71 ERA in three starts against St. Louis this season.
Hudson matched a season-best with seven strikeouts Saturday in Oakland, but he walked a season-high five batters and took his second consecutive loss after giving up four runs (three earned) in 3 2/3 frames. The Mississippi State product posted an 8-1 record and 3.13 ERA over a two-plus month stretch from mid-May to late July before surrendering eight earned runs across 7 2/3 innings in his last two turns. Josh Bell (4-for-6) and Starling Marte (4-for-8) have each tormented Hudson, who is 2-0 with a 3.12 ERA in six games (two starts) against Pittsburgh.
WALK-OFFS
1. Six of the Cardinals' victories during their aforementioned 12-2 stretch following the All-Star break were against the Pirates, including three by one run.
2. Pittsburgh C Jacob Stallings hit a solo homer Wednesday to extend the team's consecutive-games streak with at least one extra-base hit to 58.
3. St. Louis SS Paul DeJong is one home run shy of becoming the first shortstop in team history with multiple 20-homer seasons.