St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates
AP Sports Preview
PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates meet Thursday afternoon at PNC Park in the finale of a four-game series.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. EDT, with a forecast of 63 degrees and rain.
The Cardinals (16-13) have dominated this series, winning the first three games by scores of 5-3, 11-7 and 4-2. St. Louis looks to complete a sweep behind right-hander Paul Skenes (4-1, 2.84 ERA). The 2024 All-Star and National League Rookie of the Year has been sharp this season, striking out 38 batters over 31⅓ innings.
The Pirates (16-14) will counter with right-hander Hunter Dobbins, making his fourth major league start. Pittsburgh enters having lost four of its last five games, though the offense has shown life against St. Louis pitching.
Players to watch
Cardinals RHP Kyle Leahy has been St. Louis’ most consistent starter. Over his last five outings, Leahy has a 3.96 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 24⅓ innings. He earned the win Tuesday against the Pirates, allowing three runs over 5⅓ innings.
Pirates RF Ryan O’Hearn has remained productive despite the team’s struggles. He went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in Tuesday’s 11-7 loss. Over his last 10 games, O’Hearn is batting .300 with three homers and 10 RBIs.
Recent results
The Cardinals took Wednesday’s game 5-3 behind three RBIs from Alec Burleson and a home run from Nolan Gorman. The Pirates managed only five hits.
St. Louis has won seven of its last 10 contests, including a three-game sweep of Houston. The Pirates have dropped six of their last eight.
Simulation and betting
Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-3 Cardinals victory. Pittsburgh opened as a -1.5 run-line favorite, with the over/under set at 7½ runs.
Looking ahead
The Cardinals return home Friday to open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Pirates host the Cincinnati Reds for a three-game set starting Friday.
This marks the second series sweep opportunity for St. Louis this season. The Cardinals swept the Astros in Houston from April 17-19.