<p>
This game is the first of a three-game NL Central series where the Cardinals are in first place in the division, and the Pirates are in the basement.
</p>
<p>
In their last game, the Cardinals beat the Giants 10-0 scoring their ten runs on 12 hits and holding the Giants scoreless on only four hits. St. Louis scored eight of their ten runs in the first three innings.
</p>
<p>
In the Pirates last game, they lost to the Miami Marlins 10-7, and they scored their seven runs on ten hits, and Miami scored ten runs on 16 hits with each team committing two errors.
</p>
<p>
The Cardinals have won three of their last four games while the Pirates have lost two of their previous three games after a four-game win streak.
</p>
<p>
This season the Cardinals rank 20th in runs scored, and 5th in team ERA and the Pirates rank 17th in runs scored and 25th in team ERA.
</p>
<h2>
Pitching Match-Up<br />
</h2>
<p>
<b>St. Louis:</b> Miles Mikolas (8-13 4.32 ERA)
</p>
<p>
<b>Pittsburgh: </b>Joe Musgrove (9-12 4.67 ERA)
</p>
<p>
The Cardinals have won <a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/pitcherlog/40285&quot; title="Miles Mikolas Pitching Logs">Mikolas'</a> last three starts, and in his last one he gave up three earned runs on four hits in six innings in a 4-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He has given up four earned runs in his last two starts while he gave up five earned runs in each of his previous three starts with one coming in a win over the Pirates. After losing Mikolas first start of the season against the Pirates, where he pitched well, the Cardinals have won his last three starts facing them where he has totaled 20 innings and given up eight earned runs. Mikolas' best start of the season was facing Pittsburgh in a complete-game shutout in a 7-0 Cardinals win on July 15. St. Louis has lost seven of his last ten road starts.
</p>
<p>
The Pirates had lost two in a row with <a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/pitcherlog/79907&quot; title="Joe Musgrove Pitching Stats">Musgrove</a> on the hill before winning his last start where he gave up three earned runs on eight hits in six innings in an 11-4 win over the Colorado Rockies. He has not given up more than three earned runs in five of his last six starts including his last two. The Pirates have lost all four of his starts facing the Cardinals this season where he has totaled 18 innings and given up 20 earned runs. Musgrove’s first start of the season against the Cardinals was one of his worst giving up eight earned runs in only three innings in a 17-4 Pittsburgh loss.
</p>
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<p></aside></p>
<h2>
Betting Angles<br />
</h2>
<ul>
<li>
The Cardinals are 23-8 in their last 31 games against the Pirates.
</li>
<li>
The Cardinals are 10-1 in their last 11 road games against the Pirates.
</li>
<li>
In the last six games between these teams in Pittsburgh, the Over record is 4-1-1.
</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Straight Up / Over/Under / Run Line Records<br />
</h3>
<p>
<b>St. Louis Cardinals: </b>79-61 SU / O/U 57-76 / Run Line W/L 76-64
</p>
<p>
<b>Pittsburgh Pirates:</b> 61-79 SU / O/U 80-55 / Run Line W/L 65-75
</p>
<h2>
Key Betting Trends<br />
</h2>
<ul>
<li>
STL is 35-16 in their last 51 games
</li>
<li>
STL is 9-2 in their previous 11 road games against a team with a losing record
</li>
<li>
STL has an Under record of 10-2-1 in their last 13 road games
</li>
<li>
PITT is 5-2 in their last seven games
</li>
<li>
PITT is 7-17 in their previous 24 home games
</li>
<li>
PITT has an Over record of 3-1-1 in their last five games
</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Team Info<br />
</h2>
<p>
The Cardinals have been one of the hottest teams in the Majors in the last few weeks, and they are in first place in the NL Central 2.5 games up on the Chicago Cubs. St. Louis not only ranks 5th in MLB in team ERA, but they also rank 2nd in bullpen ERA. In their last series, they took three of four games from the San Francisco Giants whereas in the three wins they only gave up one run while in the one-loss they gave up nine runs.
</p>
<p>
The Cardinals are two games under .500 on the road this season, and 13 of their last 22 games are on the road.
</p>
<p>
St. Louis' Yadier Molina is riding a 12-game hitting streak where he is batting a scorching .435, and Paul DeJong (26 HR) has gone yard in each of his last two games.
</p>
<p>
The Pirates are coming off a series losing two of three games against the Miami Marlins, who have the fewest wins in the NL. That series was at home where the Bucs are 30-39 on the season.
</p>
<p>
The last time the Pirates hosted the Cardinals, it was in the latter part of July where they were swept in a four-game series being outscored 30-19.
</p>
<h3>
Key Injuries<br />
</h3>
<p>
<b>CARDINALS</b>
</p>
<p>
C Matt Wieters is listed as questionable for this game with a calf injury.
</p>
<p>
<b>PIRATES </b>
</p>
<p>
The Pirates have lost two starters to season-ending injuries, and they have two other starters on the DL. Reliever Keone Kela is out for this game on paternity leave.
</p>
<p><section></p>
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><b><span style="color:#008000;">Get more details:</span></b> <a class="advblue" href=" https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/matchup/1083773">Cardinals at Pirates MLB Match-up Stats</a> </span>
</li>
</ul>
<p></section></p>