Pittsburgh @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2012 ) Pittsburgh 4, St. Louis 5

Left-hander Jaime Garcia, who was shut down with a shoulder strain more than two months ago, gets the start Sunday when the host Cardinals go for the rubber game against Pittsburgh. St. Louis, which is 6-5 against the Pirates this season, can tie Pittsburgh for the second wild-card spot with a win. The Cardinals got a huge lift Saturday from the return of All-Star catcher Yadier Molina, who had missed three games with a sore back. Molina had three hits, including a two-run double, in the 5-4 win.

Pittsburgh has dropped seven of 10 but is still in position for its first playoff appearance in 20 years. Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen, hitting .356 with 73 RBIs, went 0-for-5 in Saturday’s loss and has gone three straight games without an extra-base hit. The Pirates struck out 14 times in the loss and have fallen to 29-31 on the road.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, Root Sports (Pittsburgh), FS Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Jeff Karstens (4-3, 3.91 ERA) vs. Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (3-4, 4.48)

Garcia, who hasn’t pitched for the Cardinals since June 5, made four rehab starts at Triple-A Memphis. On Tuesday, he fanned eight and walked three in five innings. "The report I was given, he was in the zone for the most part and seemed to have good life and the deception he always has," manager Mike Matheny told reporters. Garcia won 13 games each of the past two seasons. In four career appearances against Pittsburgh, Garcia is 1-1 with a 1.08 ERA.

Karstens has allowed five homers in his last four starts, a stretch in which he has yielded 12 earned runs in 23 innings. But on June 30 in St. Louis, Karstens gave up two runs on four hits over seven innings in a 7-3 win. In eight career appearances against the Cards, Karstens is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals SS Rafael Furcal has three doubles and two triples in the last five games. Back in the leadoff spot Saturday after batting eighth for seven of the previous eight games, Furcal went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

2. Pirates LF Starling Marte left Saturday’s game in the sixth inning with discomfort in his right side, and his status for Sunday is unclear.

3. Cardinals closer Jason Motte has 28 saves in 33 chances, but he nearly blew Saturday’s game after blowing a save opportunity Thursday against Arizona.