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Cardinals-Pirates Preview

Sep 5, 2009 - 4:34 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

St. Louis (79-56) at Pittsburgh (53-79), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals have had some big games at the plate over the past week. Facing Pittsburgh Pirates pitching tends to make that easier.

After setting a season high in runs scored, the Cardinals look to deal the Pirates their ninth straight loss Saturday night.

St. Louis (80-56) has won six of seven and 17 of 21 to extend its NL Central lead to 11 1/2 games over Chicago. The Cardinals' lineup has been particularly productive of late, scoring seven runs or more in four of its last six contests.

In the opener of this three-game set, St. Louis had 17 hits and went 6 for 16 with runners in scoring position en route to a 14-7 win over Pittsburgh (53-80) on Friday night.

The Cardinals are averaging 7.4 runs during a five-game winning streak against the Pirates. Last-place Pittsburgh, meanwhile, has matched its longest losing streak of the season with eight in a row, posting a 7.40 ERA over that span.

"It's tough to win games when you give up 14 runs," Pittsburgh manager John Russell said.

The Pirates are two losses away from setting a record for consecutive losing seasons by a major U.S. professional sports team with their 17th.

Though Pittsburgh's pitchers have struggled, they're tied for sixth with the New York Mets for the fewest home runs allowed in the majors with 130. The Pirates, however, surrendered four homers Friday to the Cardinals' top power hitters.

Ryan Ludwick hit a solo home run and a three-run shot, giving him 20 on the season. It was the eighth career multihomer game and third this season for Ludwick, who went 5 for 5 with five RBIs.

"That's the kind of night you have in Little League; you don't have those in the major leagues," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.

Ludwick is batting .400 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 10 games versus the Pirates this year.

Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer, his major league-leading 43rd of the season. He's hitting .370 with three home runs and nine RBIs in his last seven games.

Matt Holliday also homered for St. Louis. The veteran left fielder has 11 home runs in 38 games with the Cardinals, equaling his total from 93 contests with Oakland before a July 24 trade.

Holliday has never faced Ross Ohlendorf (11-9, 4.17 ERA), who will take the mound Saturday for Pittsburgh.

Ohlendorf suffered a loss at Milwaukee on Sunday after winning his previous three decisions. He yielded four runs in six innings as Pittsburgh fell 4-1.

The right-hander is 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA in three career starts versus the Cardinals.

St. Louis will counter with Mitchell Boggs (2-2, 4.57), who had lost consecutive starts before his last outing, when he gave up three runs in six innings to earn a win in St. Louis' 9-4 victory over Washington last Saturday night.

The right-hander had allowed nine runs in 10 innings over his previous two outings. Boggs has not received a decision in two starts against the Pirates, posting a 3.12 ERA.

He'll face a Pittsburgh team that - despite Friday's outcome - is coming off its best game at the plate since a 12-2 win over Cincinnati on Aug. 22. Pirates center fielder Lastings Milledge went 2 for 3 and is batting .444 in his last 14 games.