Pittsburgh Pirates @ St. Louis Cardinals - September 19, 2024

It’s a beautiful day for baseball, and my heart is pounding as we gear up for the clash between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Divisional bragging rights are on the line, and you can bet I’ll be rocking my lucky jersey while pacing back and forth, coffee in hand, until first pitch.

The Pirates are sending Luis Ortiz to the mound tonight, and I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about this matchup. Sure, his record stands at 6-6 with an ERA hovering around 4.2; however, his strikeout ability—averaging over 8 strikeouts per game—gives him a solid edge to navigate through this lineup. If he can find his rhythm early and keep runners off base, we might just see him put on a show.

On the other side of the diamond is Erick Fedde for St. Louis. Now don’t get me wrong; I respect any opponent wearing that Cardinal red, but looking at Fedde’s stats doesn’t exactly scare me. His win-loss record sits at 8-9 with an ERA slightly higher than Ortiz’s at 4.15. Plus, he’s been known to struggle against teams who make contact consistently—something that Pittsburgh has been working hard on lately.

When it comes down to hitting stats per game, both teams are pretty evenly matched offensively. The Pirates have managed to score an average of 4.18 runs per game compared to the Cardinals’ 4.07. This slight edge could be crucial in what promises to be a tight battle under the lights tonight.

Now let’s talk about recent form: The Cardinals have been riding high with three straight wins while our Buccos have faced some tough times recently—they’ve lost their last three games and dropped five of their last six overall! It’s not great reading for us die-hard fans wanting a shot of hope going into this contest. Still, there’s something about rivalry games that can bring out unexpected performances from players!

In terms of totals, I expect an offensive showcase tonight where both lineups find ways to capitalize on mistakes from pitchers who might struggle under pressure. The oddsmakers opened this one at an over/under of 8.5 runs—I’m all-in on “OVER.” With hitters stepping up in clutch situations like we’ve seen before—and considering how both teams have had ups and downs—the combined score will surely surpass that total.

So here’s my bold prediction: The Pittsburgh Pirates are going to pull off a nail-biter against our rivals tonight! Maybe it’s my bias speaking here as a dedicated fan—maybe it’s wishful thinking—but after seeing them face adversity lately? I believe they’re primed for an upset! Let’s hope Ortiz can silence those bats long enough for our offense to shine!

No matter how it unfolds, it’ll be another thrilling chapter in this storied rivalry! Bring on the action—we’re ready! Go Bucs!