The St. Louis Cardinals open the gate at Busch Stadium on Friday, August 28, hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates for an 8:15 PM ET first pitch. Left-hander Quinn Mathews gets the ball for St. Louis against Pittsburgh's Jared Jones. It is a regular-season NL Central showdown between two division rivals with standings implications on the line. Cardinals fans can catch the action on KMOV-4 locally or stream on Cardinals.TV Presented by bet365, with radio coverage on KMOX 1120 AM and 104.1 FM.

Cardinals vs. Pirates Pitching Matchup: Mathews vs. Jones

Quinn Mathews draws the start for the Cardinals in what shapes up as an intriguing pitching duel. The young left-hander has been part of St. Louis's rotation conversation this season, and Friday gives him a chance to make a statement against a divisional opponent on home soil. Pitching at Busch Stadium with the home crowd behind him is an advantage no Cardinals starter takes for granted.

Jared Jones gets the nod for Pittsburgh. The right-hander is one of the more interesting arms in the Pirates organization and has shown the kind of stuff that keeps opposing lineups honest. The Cardinals' lineup will need to have a disciplined approach and look to work counts early if they want to get to Jones and keep pressure on the Pittsburgh bullpen.

Keys to Watch in Friday's Cardinals-Pirates Game

• Mathews's command: His ability to locate pitches and avoid big innings will be the central storyline for St. Louis. A clean first few frames could set the tone for the entire game.
• Cardinals' lineup vs. Jones: Pittsburgh's starter has the talent to keep hitters off balance. How St. Louis adjusts to his approach will determine whether the offense gets rolling early or has to grind late.
• Bullpen depth: With both starters being players whose pitch counts and endurance are worth watching, the back ends of both bullpens could play a decisive role.
• Busch Stadium energy: A Friday night home crowd in late August is as charged as it gets during the regular season. The Cardinals historically play up to that atmosphere, and it matters.

Prediction: Cardinals Win a Tight One at Home

Friday night has the feel of a low-scoring, gritty divisional game — the kind that often turns on one big swing or one pivotal sequence out of the bullpen. Give the Cardinals the edge at home. Busch Stadium is a tough place to win in August, and if Mathews can give St. Louis five or six solid innings, the Cardinals have enough at their disposal to close it out. Look for St. Louis to take this one, 3-2.