CARDINALS @ PIRATES going "Weekend Benders" in the "Battle for the NL Central"...REDBIRDS escape from Wrigley splitting four as the BUCCOS sweep the FRIARS and now get a Four-Piece at PNC featuring the NL Central Elite! #STLvsPIT #STLCards #BUCN #Battle4NLCentral2K15

This will be the premier series before the All-Star Break as the NL Central leading St. Louis Cardinals at a robust 55-30 arrives at PNC Park for four against the 2nd place in the Central Pittsburgh Pirates. The Redbirds come off a four-piece split with the North Siders as the Buccos have been doing nothing in the last month but "Raising the Jolly Roger" on foes as they are 50-34! Let's go right to the Meats and Potatoes in this one...

#REDBIRDS 

St. Louis 

(55-30, 1st NL Central)

@

#BUCN 

Pittsburgh 

(50-34, 2nd NL Central)

"Weekend Benders" going "Battle for the NL Central"

Thursday July 9 @ 7:05pm ET

STL Martinez (9-3) vs PIT Locke (5-4)

T.G.I.F July 10 @ 7:05pm ET 

STL Lynn (6-4) vs Cole (12-3)

Saturday July 11 @ 7:15pm ET 

STL Lackey (7-5) vs PIT Burnett (7-3)

Sunday July 12 @ 8:05pm ET ESPN Sunday Night Hardball 

STL Cooney (0-0) vs PIT Liriano (5-6)  

On the "Bump"

Martinez and Cole stick out as the premier Arms going for both...No Michael Wacha for the Redbirds and no A.J. Burnett for the Buccos...

"At the Dish"

#STLCards 

SS J. Peralta .292 avg 12 HR 42 RBI 

3B "Carp" 46 R 39 RBI 21 2B 

2B K-Wong 43 R 37 RBI 18 2B 

#RaiseTheJollyRoger 

LF Marte .281 avg 13 HR 48 RBI

CF "Cutch 22" .302 avg 10 HR 53 RBI 45 R 24 2B

1B El Toro .240 avg 12 HR 39 RBI 

Enjoy this series as the Buccos if they are going to make a move must win the first one to set the Tempo...but they all count!