The Pittsburgh Pirates are in St. Louis to play the Cardinals in the second game of a three-game series at Busch Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:45 PM ET on Tuesday, May 6. The Cardinals won the first game 6-3, coming back from an early two-run deficit.
St. Louis has now won three games in a row, while Pittsburgh is on its longest losing streak of the season. The Pirates have dropped five straight and eight of their last nine games overall. The pitching matchup features Paul Skenes for the Pirates and Matthew Liberatore for the Cardinals, both of whom started in a meeting earlier this season that St. Louis won.
Cardinals Preview – Looking for Another Strong Start at Home
The Cardinals are 17-19 on the year, with a strong 13-6 record at home. They’ve played better lately, winning four of their last five. St. Louis has averaged 4.64 runs per game this season and has scored at least five runs in three of its last four contests.
Matthew Liberatore will start on the mound. He is 2-3 with a 3.44 ERA. His last start was shortened by weather, but in the three outings before that, he gave up just three earned runs across 18.2 innings. Liberatore says having a stable role in the rotation has helped his preparation and consistency.
In the bullpen, Kyle Leahy has delivered quality innings with a 1.29 ERA over 21.1 innings. Closer Ryan Helsley has allowed just five earned runs in 13 innings. The Cardinals’ bullpen has an ERA of 3.94 and has been dependable over the last few weeks despite a few high-scoring games.
Pirates Preview – Can Skenes Break the Losing Streak?
The Pirates are now 12-24 and just 5-12 on the road. They’ve lost five straight games and scored three or fewer runs in four of those. The team has averaged just 3.25 runs per game while allowing 4.67, leading to a -1.42 run differential.
Paul Skenes will try to stop the slide. He is 3-3 with a 2.74 ERA. In his last start, Skenes gave up three home runs and walked four batters against the Cubs, his roughest outing of the year. He’s still averaging six innings per start and more than five strikeouts per outing, but he is 0-3 in his career against the Cardinals.
The Pirates bullpen has been inconsistent. Justin Lawrence, Dennis Santana, and Caleb Ferguson have held up well with ERAs under 2.00 or near 3.00. But others like Colin Holderman and Kyle Nicolas have struggled, allowing multiple runs in recent outings. The team also has several injuries, including relievers Tim Mayza and Joey Wentz, and infielders Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Nick Gonzales.
Betting Prediction
The Pirates are slight favorites on the road at -119 with a total of 7 runs. However, the Cardinals have been better at home and have already shown they can beat Skenes. St. Louis has hit the moneyline in 10 of its last 14 home games and covered the run line in five of its last seven games overall.
Pittsburgh is trending in the wrong direction and Skenes has not solved the Cardinals yet. St. Louis has been more consistent both at the plate and on the mound. The Cardinals’ home record and recent momentum give them an edge in this one. A low-scoring game is likely, but the Cardinals should win outright.
Pick: St. Louis Cardinals +110
