PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates open a four-game series Monday night at PNC Park, with the Pirates holding a two-game lead over the Cardinals in the early National League Central standings. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. under cloudy skies and temperatures near 60 degrees. Pittsburgh enters at 16-12, while St. Louis is 14-13. Right-hander Dustin May (3-2, 3.86 ERA) will start for the Cardinals. May has been effective in his past two outings, working six innings in each and allowing a combined three earned runs. He will face a Pirates lineup that was shut out Sunday 5-0 at Milwaukee, managing only four hits. The Pirates counter with right-hander Cam Sanders, who has struggled in limited relief appearances this season. In his most recent outing Sunday, Sanders threw two scoreless innings of relief with one hit and one strikeout. However, on April 18 against Tampa Bay, he allowed four earned runs on three hits in 0⅔ innings. Sanders has not started a game in 2026 and is expected to serve as an opener or bulk reliever. Two players to watch: For St. Louis, right-handed pitcher Michael McGreevy has been a bright spot despite taking the loss in his last start. On Sunday against Seattle, McGreevy allowed one earned run over six innings with five hits and six strikeouts. Over his past five appearances — all starts — he has a 3.38 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 27⅓ innings. He is not expected to pitch Monday but could be available in long relief during the series. For Pittsburgh, Cam Sanders will be under scrutiny as he tries to stabilize his season. His ERA ballooned to 10.80 after the Tampa Bay meltdown, but his clean outing Sunday offered a small rebound. The Cardinals are coming off a series loss to Seattle, dropping Sunday’s finale 3-2. Left fielder Nathan Church went 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI in that game. St. Louis has lost four of its past five games. The Pirates were blanked 5-0 by Milwaukee on Sunday, ending a three-game winning streak. Relievers Evan Sisk and Justin Lawrence each turned in scoreless appearances. The Interstat game simulator projects a 7-6 Pirates victory. Following Monday’s opener, the teams play Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at PNC Park before St. Louis returns home to face the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 1. Pittsburgh will host the Cincinnati Reds beginning May 1.