This is a 10* play on ST. LOUIS

Of all the teams that could have come to Busch Stadium this week, the Cardinals would probably have the Pirates near the top of that list. They beat them last night, 6-2, to improve to 10-4 head to head with Pittsburgh this season. The win also snapped a five-game losing skid, the entirety of which occurred on the West Coast (in Oakland and LA). As for the Pirates, they've lost six in a row and 22 of 26 since the All Star Break. So they are what St. Louis needs right now as the Cardinals try and keep pace with the Cubs in the Central Division. The Cards will start Adam Wainwright on Saturday and like most others in this rotation, he's a lot better at home (2.26 ERA) than he is on the road. Pittsburgh starter Musgrove has been lousy wherever he starts and especially lately as his ERA and WHIP in his last three starts are 9.42 and 1.605 respectively. Play ST. LOUIS

AAA