Cardinals-Pirates Preview

The Pittsburgh Pirates are doing what they can to help prevent the St. Louis Cardinals from reaching the postseason.

The Cardinals look to avoid being swept by the Pirates in a three-game set for the first time in two years when the teams conclude their season series Sunday afternoon at PNC Park.

Rookie Brandon Moss doubled home the winning run in the 12th to give last-place Pittsburgh (62-86) a 7-6 victory, one night after routing St. Louis 10-2 in the series opener.

"To see the excitement after the game, you realize the guys are still into it," said Pirates manager John Russell, whose team is 9-7 versus St. Louis this season.

Saturday's result was the fourth straight loss for the Cardinals (78-70), who are five games back of Milwaukee in the wild-card race with 14 games remaining. St. Louis was last swept in a three-game series by the Pirates from Aug. 11-13, 2006.

St. Louis has lost eight of its last nine games away from home and the first two on its final nine-game road trip.

Skip Schumaker and Felipe Lopez each had two hits for the banged-up Cardinals, who lost outfielder Rick Ankiel (hernia) for the season and hope to have third baseman Troy Glaus (rotator cuff) and catcher Yadier Molina (thigh) back soon. Molina, who hasn't played since being injured Wednesday against Chicago, could return Sunday.

"I feel a little bit (of discomfort)," Molina told the Cardinals' official Web site of his thigh. "But I can play with it."

Molina is batting .426 (20-for-47) with six doubles and five RBIs in 12 games versus the Pirates this season.

Ryan Doumit drove in three runs and Adam LaRoche a pair Saturday for Pittsburgh, which had lost six in a row prior to this series. Doumit is hitting .533 (16-for-30) with eight RBIs in nine games against St. Louis this season.

Sunday's contest features a pair of regular relievers making starts for their respective teams.

Jason Davis (1-4, 5.90 ERA) makes his fourth start for the Pirates, replacing Jeff Karstens, who has been bothered by an abscessed tooth. Davis allowed six earned runs and nine hits in 3 2-3 innings of an 11-2 loss to the Cardinals in his most recent start on Aug. 20.

The right-hander is 0-2 with a 4.32 ERA as a starter this season and will make the second of his career against St. Louis.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, counter with Brad Thompson (5-2, 4.61), who makes his fifth spot start of the season and first since allowing two earned runs and three hits in five innings of a 5-3 win at Cincinnati on Aug. 15.

The right-hander has never made a start against the Pirates, but is 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA against Pittsburgh in 10 appearances out of the bullpen.