Locke v Wainwright, Lineup, HR's, Injuries

Jeff Locke (5-3, 3.69) closes the St. Louis set against Adam Wainwright (15-8, 2.52)

Locke hasn't exactly been sharp as a pistol of late, living off the plate instead of going after guys, but it's been working as he's gone 3-0 in his last four outings. He's walked 12 in his past 16-2/3 IP, but has countered that by keeping the ball in the park this month after a July that saw him surrender eight long balls in six starts

This will be his first go at the Redbirds in 2014. Overall, Locke is  1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in three career starts against St. Louis, with the trio coming in 2013.

Wainwright is one of the league's top guns, but he's been struggling in August, by his standards. In his last four games, he's gone 2-2 with a 4.00 ERA in 27 IP. He's had success in his career against the Bucs, going 10-5 even though the Pirates have hung a 4.18 ERA on him. But he's been murder this year on the home team, going 1-1 but yielding just two runs in the 22 frames he's logged while working on a 15 inning string of goose eggs.

The Lineup: Josh Harrison 3B, Travis Snider RF, Cutch CF, Neil Walker 2B, Russ Martin C, Ike Davis 1B, Starling Marte LF, Jordy Mercer SS and Locke. The good news is that Cutch is back and Jordy is OK, tho it is a bit surprising that Russ is working a day game; guess he figures tomorrow is an off day, so...

The game starts at 12:35 and will be on Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

• ESPN Stats: Ike Davis' HR last night was calculated to have gone 442 feet, the longest for a Pirate player at home this season. It was his third pinch hit home run and the teams' seventh, matching last year's total.
• Starling Marte enters the day with a five game hit streak.
• Pedro left yesterday's game with a foot sprain and left the locker room in a walking boot; he's expected to miss a couple of games. Cutch said he took himself out last night as a precautionary measure. Jordy was off because of a scheduled rest day, not because his forerm was any crankier than usual. 

(Sorry we're late; Clint posted the lineup later than usual as he tried to figure out which of his walking wounded were ready for today's combat.)