Back at Busch Stadium after stretching their roster to survive in Chicago, the schedule greeted the Cardinals with a welcome run of games to nourish their record with some home-cooking.
If it wasn't one of the American League's losing teams coming for a visit in the Kansas City Royals, it was arguably the worst team in baseball popping by for a doubleheader.
The Cardinals were left lacking.
The Pittsburgh Pirates, who arrived 7-19 without an extra-inning win yet this season, completed a sweep of a doubleheader Thursday at Busch Stadium with a shutout of the Cardinals in Game 2.