more than one home run.
Pittsburgh Pirates Take on St. Louis Cardinals in Crucial NL Central Matchup
The Pittsburgh Pirates (59-75, fifth in the NL Central) are set to face off against the St. Louis Cardinals (65-69, fourth in the NL Central) in a highly anticipated game on Thursday at 2:15 p.m. EDT in St. Louis. Both teams are fighting for a spot in the playoffs, making this matchup a crucial one for both sides.
Pitching Matchup: Braxton Ashcraft vs. Miles Mikolas
The Pirates will send Braxton Ashcraft (4-2, 2.70 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 43 strikeouts) to the mound, while the Cardinals will counter with Miles Mikolas (6-10, 5.17 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 81 strikeouts). Both pitchers will be looking to lead their teams to victory and improve their own records.
Series Standings and Team Records
The Pirates currently hold a 2-1 lead in the series against the Cardinals, with two games left to play. St. Louis has a solid 36-32 record in home games and a 65-69 record overall. The Cardinals have also been strong in games where they have not allowed a home run, boasting a 34-16 record in such games.
On the other hand, the Pirates have struggled on the road with a 20-45 record, but have a slightly better overall record of 59-75. However, they have struggled in games where they have given up more than one home run, with a 19-52 record in such games.
What to Expect
With both teams fighting for a spot in the playoffs, this game is sure to be a highly competitive and intense matchup. The Pirates will look to extend their series lead, while the Cardinals will be determined to even the score and keep their playoff hopes alive. Keep an eye out for strong pitching performances and potential home runs as these two teams battle it out on the field. Matchup: Pirates vs. Cardinals, Game 3
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Pirates vs. Cardinals: A Matchup of Two NL Central Teams
By: The Associated Press
Posted: 3:02 AM CDT Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025
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Pittsburgh Pirates (59-75, fifth in the NL Central) will face off against the St. Louis Cardinals (65-69, fourth in the NL Central) in a highly anticipated game on Thursday at 2:15 p.m. EDT.
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Pirates: Braxton Ashcraft (4-2, 2.70 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 43 strikeouts)
Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (6-10, 5.17 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 81 strikeouts)
BOTTOM LINE:
The Pirates currently hold a 2-1 lead in the series against the Cardinals, making this game a must-watch for fans of both teams.
St. Louis has a solid record of 36-32 in home games and a 65-69 record overall. The Cardinals have also been strong in games where they have not allowed a home run, with a record of 34-16.
On the other hand, Pittsburgh has struggled on the road with a 20-45 record, but they have a 59-75 record overall. The Pirates have also struggled in games where they have given up a home run, with a record of 19-52.
This will be the 13th time these two teams have faced off this season, with the Pirates currently leading the series 7-5.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Alec Burleson has been a standout player for the Cardinals this season, with 21 doubles, a triple, and 16 home runs. Lars Nootbaar has also been on a hot streak, going 11 for 39 with two doubles in the last 10 games.
For the Pirates, Bryan Reynolds has been a key player with 34 doubles, three triples, and 14 home runs. Jared Triolo has also been performing well, going 12 for 31 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs, and five RBIs in the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES:
Cardinals: 4-6, with a .223 batting average and 5.07 ERA, outscored by 11 runs
Pirates: 7-3, with a .262 batting average and 2.55 ERA, outscoring opponents by 21 runs
INJURIES:
Cardinals: John King (back), Brendan Donovan (groin), Victor Scott II (ankle), Nolan Arenado (shoulder), Zack Thompson (lat) are all on the injured list.
Pirates: Endy Rodriguez (elbow), Enmanuel Valdez (shoulder), Justin Lawrence (elbow), Tim Mayza (shoulder), and Jared Jones (elbow) are all on the injured list.
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The Associated Press has provided this story using technology from Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Don’t miss out on this exciting matchup between the Pirates and Cardinals!
