St. Louis @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2011 ) St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 6

THE STORY: St. Louis looks to keep its postseason hopes alive Tuesday evening when it plays the second of a three-game series at National League Central rival Pittsburgh. The Cardinals had won five straight to climb within six games of division leader Milwaukee before the Pirates rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to steal a 6-5 victory on Monday. St. Louis is 4 1/2 games back of Atlanta in the National League wild card standings.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports (St. Louis), ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUPS: Cardinals RH Chris Carpenter (9-9, 3.75 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Jeff Karstens (9-8, 3.32 ERA).

Carpenter is coming off his first complete-game shutout since 2009, a four-hit gem against Milwaukee on Sept. 7. The former Cy Young winner had given up 12 runs over 11 innings in his previous two starts, including a loss at Pittsburgh on Aug. 27 (5 IP, 9 H, 6 ER). Carpenter has owned the Pirates in the past, going 12-3 with a 2.64 ERA in 19 lifetime starts. Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen is 8-for-24 with a homer against Carpenter.

Karstens has been sitting with a shoulder injury since losing at St. Louis on Aug. 28 (3 2/3 IP, 9 H, 5 ER). He enjoyed an excellent first half, posting a 2.28 ERA through July 20, but he has won just once since and has allowed 27 runs in 37 1/3 innings over his last seven starts. Despite two sub-par outings in the last few weeks, Karstens still owns a 3.49 career ERA against the Cardinals. St. Louis RF Lance Berkman is just 2-for-9 against Karstens but has walked six times (.533 OBP).

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (79-68): St. Louis has been buoyed by the National League's top lineup all season, but the group is on track to set an unenviable record this season. The Cardinals grounded into two more double plays on Monday to up their season total to 158, just eight shy of the National League record set by St. Louis in 1958. The 1990 Boston Red Sox own the major league record with 179, a figure still within reach with 15 games remaining.

ABOUT THE PIRATES (67-80): Pittsburgh has stumbled down the stretch, posting a dismal 14-33 record since it sat in a three-way tie atop the NL Central on July 25. Offense has been a sore spot, with 2B Neil Walker (.274) easily pacing the team in batting average. A pitching staff that had been among the National League's best through the first four months of the season has faded – its 4.62 ERA since the All-Star break is about a full run worse than its first-half figure.

FINAL PITCH: St. Louis has been baseball's worst running team this season. In addition to the double-play figures, the Cardinals have stolen an NL-worst 48 bases while being thrown out 36 times.