Game 135: Pirates at Cardinals

Rubber match of the series. To be aired on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.
Probables: Gerrit Cole (15-8, 2.64) vs. John Lackey (11-8, 2.87)
Preview:
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/201509...game_pk=415691
"Young ace Cole to duel veteran righty Lackey
By Tom Singer / MLB.com | + 1 COMMENTS
Growing up in Newport Beach, Calif., in Angels territory, Gerrit Cole was at Angel Stadium as a 12-year-old when John Lackey won Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.
Sunday night, in the finale of the series between the Pirates and the Cardinals, Cole will not be a fan, but a pitching adversary of Lackey. The two right-handers now are on opposite ends of the career spectrum.
The 36-year-old Lackey's 2.25 ERA since June 15 is MLB's fifth-lowest in that span.
"He's been a real asset to our club, maybe more than I anticipated, with the absence of Adam Wainwright," said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny, whose team leads the Pirates by 6 1/2 games in the National League Central.
Cole, who will take the mound two days from his 25th birthday, is having his workload closely monitored as he approaches a personal high in innings.
Cole has 173 2/3 innings in the bank, and the most he has logged is 185 1/3, during his 2013 rookie season split between Triple-A and Pittsburgh.
"We feel comfortable [with his innings]. His commitment and work has gotten him to this place," said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. "We started projecting much earlier in the season where [his innings total] could go and how we might be able to help."
Three things to know about this game
• Stephen Piscotty will bring a 12-game hitting streak into the game, the Cardinals' longest of the season and the longest for a St. Louis rookie since Jon Jay's 12-gamer in 2010.
• The Bucs' Andrew McCutchen has reached base in the first inning of his last 10 games (8-for-8 with two walks).
• Jung Ho Kang's 37 extra-base hits are the most for a Pittsburgh rookie since Neil Walker (44) and Pedro Alvarez (38), in 2010.
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer and on his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs."