Hold onto your hats, baseball fans! We've got the Pittsburgh Pirates set to face off with the St. Louis Cardinals. Luis Ortiz, the Pirates' starting pitcher, rolls in with a 3.51 ERA and 7.2 strikeouts-per-nine-innings over 35 appearances this regular season. However, the Cardinals are countering with their own strong starter, Erick Fedde, matching skills with a 3.52 ERA and slightly more strikeouts at 7.9 K/9 over his 29 appearances. Both pitchers have clearly been munching on their Wheaties.
The Pirates got some sizzle in their lineup with Nick Gonzales, Oneil Cruz, and Andrew McCutcheon. Let's not forget Bryan Reynolds and Jared Triolo adding some extra sparkle on the side. These guys had a fairly decent last flutter, with Cruz showing some impressive versatility with 9 stolen bases and a .295 batting average.
Over on the Cardinals' side, they've got Ivan Herrera and Paul Goldschmidt batting a .325 and .313, respectively. Brendan Donovan, Jordan Walker, Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Arenado also aren't slouching in their duties, with all of them showcasing some strong batting averages and RBIs.
Dealing with the ghosts of matchups past, the Cardinals lead a 4 to 1 dominance over the Pirates. Recent results have magnified this trend, with the Cards taking the Pirates to town in the last three games. While Pittsburgh isn't exactly a bunch of chopped liver, they'll need to dig deep into their treasure chest to turn this ship around.
From an observer's perspective, the Cardinals have a better regular season record standing at 77-75 comparative to the Pirates' gloomy 71-81. The Pirates might want to reconsider their boating license if they keep this losing streak up.
Busch Stadium will be hosting this extravaganza, and to spill the insider tea, let's say it's not exactly batting paradise. Pitchers tend to savor their sweet time here, resulting in a, let's call it, less than generous score sheet.
Summing it up, history, venue, and the rosters are all leaning towards the Cardinals. Should be as easy as stealing sunflower seeds from the dugout, right? Keep that bucket of popcorn close; this could surprise us.
Albert’s Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals by 2