St. Louis Cardinals (80-72) at Pittsburgh Pirates (69-84) Game #153 N PNC Park N September 22, 2017 Micahel Wacha (12-8, 4.02) vs. Ivan Nova (11-14, 4.20) K LEADING OFF: The St. Louis Cardinals are in the midst of their 126th season of play in the National League...the TONIGHT’S GAME : The Cardinals continue their Cardinals begin today in 3rd place in the N.L. Central, 5.0 games back of Chicago and 1.5 games behind Colorado final regular season roadtrip tonight (0-3 at CHI, for the second N.L. Wild Card...the Cardinals are +81 in run differential (5th in NL, 2nd in NLC). 3-0 at CIN, PIT-3), as they visit the Pittsburgh Pi - rates for the first game of a three-game weekend BIRD BANTER... VS. PITTSBURGH IN 2017: .252 (131-519) 21 HR ROADTRIP .262 (56-213) 9 HR series...first pitch tonight is set for 6:05 p.m. CT... K #13 MATT CARPENTER: Streak: 2G (3-6, .500) HR CIN Series: 3-7, .429, HR Roadtrip: .316 (6-19) 2 HR the Cardinals improved their season mark to 8 [ Hit 14th career leadoff HR on Wed. (2nd all-time STL - Brock, 21)...has joined Musial (1949, ‘53-54), Pujols (2008-10) games over .500 (matching season high) with last & Edmonds (‘04) as lone Cardinals w/30-2B, 20-HR, 100-BB seasons...has career-high 105 walks (2nd, NL), most by STL night’s win...St. Louis is 5-1-1 in its last seven se - since Pujols (115 in ‘09), including his 1st career 4-walk game on 9/12...leads STL in XBH (53) & 2B (30), 2nd in runs ries and the Cardinals have gone 13-6 in Septem - (86), 3rd RBI (67), T2nd w/21 HR...tied team-high w/21-game on-base streak (6/22-7/18). ber...they have 10 games remaining (7 at home & K #11 PAUL DeJONG: Streak: 0-8 CIN Series: 3-15, .200, 2 HR Roadtrip: .185 (5-27) 2 HR 3 on the road). [ Hit team-leading 24th HR on Wed., the 2nd-straight night he was part of back/back HR’s...ranks 2nd all-time in STL LAST GAME : Yadier Molina & Dexter Fowler each rookie HR’s (Pujols-37)...his 19 HR’s as shortstop are 2nd all-time for STL (J.Peralta, 21-2014 is 1st)...has 28 multi-hit has two-RBI games, as the Cardinals completed a games; 9 w/three-hits...his 24 HR in 1st 98 MLB games are T1st (Pujols) for most in STL history...has 23 HR since 6/15 series sweep in Cincinnati with an 8-5 win, im - recall, 3rd in NL (Stanton-39)...has HRed in consec. games 9 times...ranks 1st among N.L. rookies (min. 300 ABs) in BA proving Carlos Martinez’ record to 12-11...Tyler (.280), T2nd in HR (24), 4th in RBI (60) & hits (108), 5th in 2Bs (22) & 4th in XBH (47)...July NL Rookie of the Month & Lyons provided 1.2 scoreless innings of relief and led all MLB rookies in July HR (8) & hits (28)...set STL rookie record for July HR (8)...two 9-game hit stks 6/22-30 (.306) Zach Duke worked the final inning. & 8/10-19 (.472)... made MLB debut 5/28 at COL & HRed in 1st at-bat (9th STL player). K COMING UP : The Cardinals & Pirates continue #25 DEXTER FOWLER: Streak: 5G (11-21, .524) 3 HR CIN Series: 7-13, .538, 2 HR Roadtrip: .524 (11-21) 3 HR their weekend series with games tomorrow night [ Had 3 hits, 2-2B’s, & 2 RBI last night...HRed in 3rd-straight game on Wed., setting single-season high for HR (18)... (6:05 p.m. CT) & Sunday afternoon (12:35 p.m. HR’d in 8th to tie game & had 2B for GWRBI in 10th inn. on Tue...hit 3-run HR last Sun. at CHI, his 2nd HR of season vs. CT), as the Cardinals conclude their final regular LHP...25 of his career high 61 RBI are w/2 outs...his 8 triples (T3rd NL) are most by Cardinal since 2001 (F. Vina-8)...his 80 season road series of the season...St. Louis is career triples tops MLB since ‘09...had .328 BA in August...has .333 BA (66-198) w/10 HR & 44 RBI in 60 games batting home for the final week of the regular season, outside of leadoff...ranks 4th NL in HR (18) as switch-hitter; 16 of his HR’s while hitting LH...hit 3rd career grand slam hosting the Cubs (4 games) & Brewers (3 games). 8/10 vs. KC w/career high 5 RBI... T1st on team w/11 GWRBI & 3rd in walks (60)...missed 12G on DL both 6/25-7/6 (right heel spur) and 7/25-8/6 (left forearm)...9 of 18 HR’s are go-ahead; has hit 11 HR’s at STL...is 4-8 as PH, 5 RBI. K CARDINALS vs. PITTSBURGH: #35 GREG GARCIA: Streak: 2G (2-2, 1.000) CIN Series: 2-3, .667 Roadtrip: .500 (4-8) Season: 19 games; final series meeting in 2017 [ Has had RBI PH’s last 2 games...tied career high w/3 hits 8/27 vs. TB... .311 BA in Aug. (5 RBI)...has hits in 21 of last 2017: 10-6 (7-2 at STL, 3-3 at PIT, 0-1 at Williamsport) 26 starts (27-84, .321)...9-41, 10 BBs as PH; career .287 (27-94) PH...has made 23 starts at 3B, 18 at 2B, 8 at SS. 2016: 10-9 (5-5 at STL, 5-4 at PIT) K #15 RANDAL GRICHUK: Streak: 0-4 CIN Series: 0-4, .000 Roadtrip: .111 (1-9) All-Time: 1,117-1,158 (80-63 at PNC Park) [ Hit 20th HR on 9/10...his 44 HR’s (2016-17) rank 12th, NL OFers...HRed in 3-str. games 8/30-9/1...has HRed in cons. Last Time STL sweep: 9/8-10/17 at STL games 5 times...T3rd on STL w/47 XBH, 4th w/25 2B’s...hit safely in 30 of last 42 starts w/22 XBHs...17 of his 20 HR’s Last Time PIT sweep: 4/3-6/16 at PIT have come when hitting 7th or lower...had career-high 4 hits 7/26...HRed in 4 str. games 7/21-24...has 11 infield hits. RECORD BREAKDOWN K #3 JEDD GYORKO: Streak: 1G (1-3, .333) CIN Series: 1-7, .143 Roadtrip: .111 (1-9) By Day By Month [Activated from DL (right hamstring, 8/27-9/12) on 9/13...hit 21st 2B on Wed. after just 9 2B’s in ‘16...has career- Monday 8-4 Spring 20-8-4 high 64 RBI (4th STL)...T1st STL w/nine 3-hit games, 3rd w/30 multi-hit games...had career-high 3 walks 8/8 at KC & Tuesday 12-13 April 12-12 belted 3-run HR ...9 GWRBI (3rd STL), 4th STL w/109 hits...hit walk-off sac fly 7/25, 2nd career walk-off RBI...has 41 Wednesday 13-8 May 13-13 HR’s since 2016 All-Star Break...9 of 18 HR’s have come in 6th+ inn & 12 of 18 HR’s in 2017 are solo shots. Thursday 10-12 June 13-16 K #30 CARSON KELLY: Streak: 1G (1-1, 1.000) CIN Series: 1-1, 1.000 Roadtrip: .500 (1-2) Friday 12-12 July 14-12 [ 1st career multi-hit game 8/29 at MIL...7 starts since 7/21 recall from Triple-A...made MLB debut & played in 10 Saturday 13-10 August 15-13 gms in 2016...batted .283, 10 HR, 41 RBI in 83 G at Memphis...starting catcher 2017 Pacific Coast League All-Stars. Sunday 12-13 Sept./Oct. 13-6 K #58 JOSE MARTINEZ: Streak: 4G (5-18, .278) CIN Series: 3-9, .333 Roadtrip: .238 (5-21) By Seriies [ Is 3rd in NL w/.380 BA (27-71, 3 HR, 14 RBI) since 8/30 w/hits in 18 of 20 games & has career-best 20-game on-base 2G 3G 4G 5G streak, one shy of STL season best...had career-high 10-game hit strk (.484 BA) 8/30-9/8...was 3-3 w/2 HRs & 2B on Won 2 16 3 --- 9/5 at SD; 2nd multi-HR game...leads MLB in PH BA (.440, 11-25); T6th in PH HR (2)...hit 1st career grand slam 8/6 at Lost 2 15 2 --- Split 2 --- 4 --- CIN...1st multi-HR game 6/13[1] vs. MIL...career .319 BA (86-270) 110 MLB games...career .484 (15-31), 2 HR as PH. Sweeps 2 7 --- --- K #4 YADIER MOLINA: Streak: 4G (4-14, .286) HR CIN Series: 3-10, .300, HR Roadtrip: .190 (4-21) HR Opp. Sweeps 2 3 1 --- [ Has 22 RBI this month, 2nd NL (his career high for any month)...hit HR #18 on Tue., tying Jim Bottomley (1,727) for 10th all-time STL hits & scored 600th career run...has team-high 136 hits & career high 82 RBI (both 1st-MLB catch - MIKE MATHENY: Mike Matheny is in the midst of ers)...had HR & career-high 5 RBI on 9/10 vs. PIT...has 3 HR’s & 17 RBI in his last 11 G’s...1st on STL w/34 multi-hit his 6th season as the Cardinals manager...his 541- games, 29 two-out RBI & 11 GWRBI...hit 7th career triple 9/1...2nd on team w/9 SB, leads all MLB catchers...recorded 421 won-loss mark ranks 1st in the majors since his 3rd pick-off 7/14 (49th career); all 3 PO in ‘17 at 3rd base...has two 16-game hit streaks in ‘17, matching career-high..