Today, at 3:07 p.m. ET, the St. Louis Cardinals (1-2) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2-1) continue their best-of-five series with National League Division Series Game 4 action live from PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The game can be live streamed here. St. Louis fans can listen in on all the action on the radio by tuning into KMOX 1120, while Pittsburgh fans can hear it on KDKA-FM 93.7.
The Pirates are trying to notch their first October series victory since 1979, while the Cardinals are trying to claw their way back to evening up the series in order to bring it back to St. Louis for what would be a pivotal Game 5. For St. Louis, rookie Michael Wacha (4-1, 2.78 ERA) takes the hill while Pittsburgh's Charlie Morton (7-4, 3.26) mans the mound in hopes of leading his team into the NLCS.
Wacha was one out away from throwing a no-hitter for the Cards in his final outing of the regular season, and hopes to continue that success in the playoffs as he tries to keep the Pirates from advancing for the first time in 34 years. Wacha hasn't pitched in 12 days, while Morton is facing a team he's struggled against during the regular season. The NL Central champion Cards handed Morton two of his worst outings of the year, and Morton went 0-2 through three starts against St. Louis with a 7.90 ERA.
Pirates second baseman and Pittsburgh native Neil Walker is aware of the fact that it's nice for the Pirates to have a chance to advance at home, but he also feels as though he doesn't care where they clinch, just as long as they do so.
"We're talking about playoff baseball," Walker told MLB.com. "We want any chance to advance, no matter where it's at. Yeah, in front of hometown fans would be pretty special. But we're just trying to find a way to win one more game, anywhere."
Walker hit .251 with 16 homers and 53 RBIs through 133 games this season, but has yet to get a hit through 13 at-bats in the three postseason games thus far.
The Cardinals are well aware of what's at stake for them as the team doesn't want to pack it up and be forced to go home if it loses this afternoon.
"It's a must-win [game] for us," said Carlos Beltran per MLB.com. "Hopefully we can come here, take care of business, win and go play the last game at home."
Beltran has been somewhat of a postseason wizard in his career, as he's hit .360 through eight series and 37 playoff games with 16 homers, 31 RBIs and 11 doubles. This postseason has been no different, as Beltran is 4-for-12 (.333) with two homers and six RBIs. Beltran's 16th homer, which he blasted on Sunday night, put him ahead of Babe Ruth for sole possession of eighth all-time in postseason homers.
Young first baseman Matt Adams has had a solid series for St. Louis, going 4-for-11 (.364) with two runs and a double, and will likely be moved back to the cleanup role after batting sixth Sunday. For the Pirates, outfielder Andrew McCutchen is 5-for-10 (.500) with a double and two runs scored thus far.
Pirates closer Jason Grilli said he can picture himself closing out the series in front of his hometown fans and hopes for the opportunity to do so-which he said is a long time coming for Pittsburgh.
"This is why I signed back here [in 2012]," Grilli said per MLB.com. "I saw the potential of what this team was in the process of doing, the winning ways. I wanted to be with a winning team."
The Pirates hope to be a winning team tonight and stamp their ticket to the NLCS, while the Cardinals will try to stave off elimination and nod the series up at two games apiece in order to head back to St. Louis for Game 5.
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