Cardinals Turn to Dustin May in Early Series Finale Against Pirates
The Cardinal Chronicle
Cardinals Turn to Dustin May in Early Series Finale Against Pirates
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur
The St. Louis Cardinals do not have much time to sit on Wednesday night’s frustration.
After being shut out 7-0 by the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals return to the field Thursday afternoon for a quick-turnaround series finale, with first pitch scheduled for 12:15 p.m. CT. It is the kind of old-fashioned getaway-day ballgame that gives a club a simple choice: carry last night with you, or flush it before lunch.
St. Louis will send right-hander Dustin May to the mound against Pittsburgh right-hander Braxton Ashcraft as the Cardinals look to take the three-game series before heading to Cincinnati for the next leg of their NL Central stretch.
The Cardinals opened the series Tuesday with a 9-6 extra-inning victory, continuing what had been a perfect start against Pittsburgh this season. That run ended Wednesday, when the Pirates snapped St. Louis’ six-game winning streak in the head-to-head matchup and handed the Cardinals one of their rougher nights of the season.
Now the series sits where a lot of division series eventually land — tied, tense and waiting on the rubber game.
For St. Louis, the bigger picture remains encouraging, even after Wednesday’s stumble. The Cardinals entered the Pittsburgh series having gone 14-6 since April 27, tied for one of the best marks in baseball over that span, and they remain firmly in the NL Central race. Their strong play against division opponents has helped keep them near the top of a crowded Central, where every series has a little more weight than the calendar might suggest in May.
Thursday’s matchup also continues a demanding divisional run. After wrapping up with Pittsburgh, the Cardinals head to Cincinnati for three games, then continue through a stretch that includes Milwaukee and Chicago. In other words, there is not much breathing room, and there are no throwaway afternoons.
May enters the start at 3-4 with a 4.81 ERA, looking to give the Cardinals the kind of steady outing they need after the bullpen was forced to absorb a difficult finish Wednesday night. The Cardinals were still within reach for much of that game before Pittsburgh broke it open late, and a quality start Thursday would go a long way toward stabilizing the series and keeping the club’s momentum from turning into a two-day skid.
Ashcraft comes in at 2-2 with a 3.09 ERA for Pittsburgh, giving the Pirates a chance to leave St. Louis with a series win after dropping the opener. The Cardinals saw Ashcraft earlier this season during their four-game sweep at PNC Park, but this will be a different setting and a different kind of test with the series on the line.
Offensively, St. Louis needs a cleaner day than it had Wednesday. The Cardinals had traffic, had hard contact, and had chances, but could not push a run across. That has been the difference between this club at its best and its worst. When the Cardinals score four or more runs, they have been one of the hardest teams in the league to put away. When the offense gets held down, the margin for error disappears quickly.
Jordan Walker’s status will also be worth watching after he was hit on the right wrist Wednesday and left the game. Any concern involving Walker’s hand or wrist is more than a footnote, given his importance to the middle of the order and the way he has become a central part of the Cardinals’ offensive identity.
The Cardinals have built much of their early-season success on close games, late offense and resilience. They lead the majors in last-at-bat wins and have been one of baseball’s best clubs in extra innings and tight finishes. That has made them dangerous, but Thursday calls for something a little simpler.
Get a lead. Protect it. Win the series.
After Wednesday night, that would be plenty.
Game Information
Matchup: Pittsburgh Pirates at St. Louis Cardinals
Date: Thursday, May 21, 2026
First Pitch: 12:15 p.m. CT
Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Probable Pitchers: RHP Braxton Ashcraft vs. RHP Dustin May
TV: Cardinals.TV
Radio: KMOX 104.1 FM / 1120 AM
Spanish Radio: WIJR 880 AM
Gates Open: 10:45 a.m.
Bottom Line:
The Cardinals took the opener, the Pirates answered in Game 2, and now St. Louis has a chance to win the series before taking the show on the road. A quick turnaround, a noon start and a division opponent — that is getaway-day baseball with a little bite to it.
The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports