MLB Game Preview - Pittsburgh at St. Louis

Fri Aug 9, 2019 8:15 PM EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals won six of seven games against the Pittsburgh Pirates last month.

They hope to regain traction against the reeling Pirates while hosting a three-game series that starts Friday at Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals went 0-5 on their road swing through Oakland and Los Angeles while getting outscored 25-7 by the A's and Dodgers. They have lost three of their past four series.

"Fortunately, we're headed home," Cardinals reliever Andrew Miller told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

"Ultimately you've got to have a short memory -- and go play the way we think we can. I know, I feel like we've been saying that a lot this year. I've been saying that about myself. Everyone in here believes in the group we have. We have to back it up. We've just got to move on from this West Coast thing."

The Pirates have lost 21 of 25 games since the All-Star break to fall 18 games below .500 for the first time since the end of the 2011 campaign. They allowed 25 unearned during that slump while posting a 5.45 team ERA.

"A lot of us are searching right now," Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams told MLB.com.

"A lot of us are trying to keep our head above water. It's been a really tough stretch for us. We're going to take the off-day (Thursday) and try to get everything reset, and get to St. Louis and look to win a series there."

Pittsburgh right-hander Chris Archer (3-8, 5.35 ERA) will start Friday's game while coming off a sharp Aug. 3 performance. He held the New York Mets to one run in six innings during a 7-5 loss.

Archer pitched six innings against the Cardinals on July 23 and allowed four runs on seven hits, including two homers, in a 4-3 loss. He is 0-1 with a 3.71 ERA in three starts against the Cardinals this season and 0-1 with a 3.49 ERA in five career games against them.

Dakota Hudson (10-6, 3.99) will start for the Cardinals. He was on the winning side on that July 23 game against the Pirates, allowing three runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Hudson is 1-0 with one save and a 4.15 ERA in three appearances against the Pirates this season and 2-0 with a 3.12 ERA in six career appearances.

But Hudson struggled with his control during his Aug. 3 start in Oakland. The right-hander walked five batters and hit another while allowing four runs (three earned) in just 3 2/3 innings.

The Cardinals could be without third baseman Matt Carpenter on Friday. He exited Wednesday's game in Los Angeles with a foot contusion and was listed as day to day. Tommy Edman moved in from right field to replace him at third base in that game.

Catcher Yadier Molina (torn thumb tendon) remains on a minor league rehabilitation assignment, and outfielder Tyler O'Neill is sidelined by a wrist injury.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle has been shuffling his lineup to get corner infielder/outfielder Jose Osuna more at bats. Osuna has started eight of the last 12 games and hit .419 with five doubles, three home runs and nine RBIs during that stretch.

The Pirates have been missing reliever Keone Kela (suspension), catcher Francisco Cervelli (concussion), starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (torn flexor tendon), outfielder Gregory Polanco (shoulder strain) and reliever Clay Holmes (triceps inflammation).

--Field Level Media