It is two hot teams that will do battle at Busch Stadium tonight as the St. Louis Cardinals are hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates for the opener of a three game series. The hosts are off three straight wins and have won seven of their last nine. The visitors have won six of their last eight, but the two losses have come within their last three games and I like the price we get on the Cardinals in this match-up.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Pitching - The Pirates will hand the ball to A.J. Burnett (0-1, 1.80 ERA) who's off to a solid start to the season in his second stint with the Pirates after spending last year with the Phillies. He had one strong outing at Busch Stadium last year, but the current Cardinals roster are batting a combined .282 over 188 at bats against the veteran who struggled on the road last year posting a 4-10 record behind a 5.52 ERA over 18 road starts. The Cardinals will counter with Lance Lynn (1-2, 3.63 ERA) who was torched at Milwaukee his last time out after allowing just four runs on 13 hits over 17 1/3 innings over his previous three starts. The right-hander has 26 strikeouts over 22 1/3 innings for the season and has the Pirates Andrew McCutchen going a lowly 5-for-35 with 13 strikeouts.

2. Road Woes - The Pirates have won just three of the last 14 meetings at Busch Stadium and just one of Burnett's last five starts there. The Cardinals meanwhile are 5-1 in Lynn's last six home starts against the Pirates.

3. X-Factor - Jason Heyward has owned A.J. Burnett over previous at bat going 7-for-16 with three homers.

Selection: This is a play on the St. Louis Cardinals (8*)