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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals are feeling as if it is September.That means different things to the clubs, which meet Tuesday in the middle game of a three-game series at PNC Park.The Cardinals blistered the Pirates 12-6 in the series opener Monday, inching themselves closer to a playoff spot, while Pittsburgh lost for a season-worst seventh game in a row and might be seeing the possibility of the postseason slipping away.Pittsburgh is 4 1/2 games behind St. Louis, which sits in the second National League wild-card spot and has a chance to overtake the San Francisco Giants for home-field advantage in the wild-card game.Its a big one, a big win against a very tough team in a tough place to win here in Pittsburgh. Well take it, man, said St. Louis starter and winner Monday, Adam Wainwright. Well take it and well move on to the next one.Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had such a good time watching his club produce on offense Monday that the nearly 3 1/2-hour game flew by.Were scoring, I dont care how long we stay out there, said Matheny, whose team has won two games in a row following a three-game losing streak during which St. Louis scored just four runs. I just like watching guys get into a good place offensively.Offense has been just one of the problems for Pittsburgh.While starting pitching has been mostly a strength with the bullpen inconsistent, the Pirates had their rookie starter, Chad Kuhl, knocked out after two innings Monday, and the bullpen wasnt a lot better.In addition, the Pirates are struggling to score. Their six runs Monday was their most in seven games. They have been shut out in three of their past six games.Were trying to figure ourselves out and get out of this and get back to playing baseball the way we want to play, Pittsburgh shortstop Jordy Mercer said. We just have to keep going. Every day is a new day, a new start.I dont know the reason for it. We just havent played the baseball we want to play.Manager Clint Hurdle, who heard the home fans boo loudly at times Monday, is keeping his chin up.Youve got to fight every day for success, he said, and he believes his players are still willing to do that.I think theyre realistic about it, Hurdle said. There comes a point in time you play at this level, honest self-evaluation plays a part of it. Its not just a trend. Its not just a cycle. Youve got to find ways to get better and win.Guys are showing up and playing. Sometimes you just dont play as well as you need to play to win a game.St. Louis right-hander Luke Weaver (1-2, 3.86 ERA) is scheduled to make his fifth major league start Tuesday against Pittsburgh. He has 17 strikeouts over his past two starts. Weaver has never faced the Pirates.Pittsburgh will counter with veteran right-hander Ryan Vogelsong (3-4, 3.56 ERA). He is 2/3 with a 3.44 ERA in six starts since being reinstated from the disabled list after surgery for facial fractures.Vogelsongs lone appearance against St. Louis this year came in relief, when he allowed two hits and a walk but no runs in one-third of an inning on May 8. For his career against the Cardinals, Vogelsong is 3-7 with a 5.75 ERA in 22 games (11 starts). Cheap Puma Shoes Sale . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Puma Shoes Sale Online . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. http://www.cheappuma.net/ . Haas said he "felt a lot of pain" in his right shoulder when he slammed his racket to the ground in frustration after losing his serve at 3-3 in the first set. Cheap Puma Shoes From China .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Cheap Puma Shoes Online Free Shipping . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. LOS ANGELES -- The nations second-largest city has waited nearly 22 years for Sunday.When the Rams take the field in a sold-out Coliseum for their first regular-season home game of the season, the NFL will truly, officially return to Los Angeles.A football-loving town had both of its teams simultaneously taken away by two owners with wanderlust after the 1994 season. But Stan Kroenke has brought the game back to a sprawling town that seems eager to unite behind the Rams.We all know its going to be a great moment to run down that tunnel, said Rams defensive back T.J. McDonald, who went to college in LA. Its going to be history.And after all of that cathartic excitement and a pregame concert by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Rams (0-1) need to make sure they dont get trampled by the Seattle Seahawks.Los Angeles new team didnt get a soft touch for its homecoming game. The Seahawks (1-0) have been among the NFLs best for a half-decade, and the Rams favorable recent record in the NFC West rivalry hasnt exactly inspired overconfidence.Its going to take our best shot, said Rams coach Jeff Fisher, a Los Angeles native.The Rams have won three of their last four against Seattle, sweeping the two-game series last season. Yet their dismal performance Monday at San Francisco in a 28-0 loss is a bit foreboding, while the Seahawks 12-10 win over Miami suggested their daunting defense is already in midseason form -- bad news for a Los Angeles offense that looked largely inept in its opener.Here are some other things to watch on LAs big day:RE-PETE: The Rams arent the only people making a triumphant return to the Coliseum.Seahawks coach Pete Carroll created a college football dynasty in the venerable arena, winning two national titles at USC in a nine-year run that included a 35-game home winning streak. Carroll left USC for the Seahawks in January 2010, and he still disagrees with the NCAAs decision to hammer the Trojans a few months later with sanctions surrounding Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush.I was already gone by the time all of that stuff came out, and I felt bad about that, Carroll said. Had I known what was going on, and what was going to come around, I never would have been able to leave, and I just wouldnt have.SHERMAN RETURNS: Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman is the first visiting NFL star to get the chance to play in his hometown against the Rams. He believes the NFLs return and the Rams service work will be a boon for his native Compton and other communities.When you have role models like that, whenn you have people giving back, whether its their time or financially, it makes a huge difference, Sherman said.dddddddddddd. You give kids something else to aspire to. You give kids some more goals to aspire to attain.BACK IN BLUE: On Thursday, the Rams thrilled many Los Angeles fans when they announced theyll wear their throwback uniforms in the game.The Rams wore the still-familiar blue-and-gold gear from 1973-99 before switching to the St. Louis-era uniforms that are still their official look. Nearly everyone expects the Rams to return to their LA-era colors when they move into their new billion-dollar stadium in Inglewood in 2019.The Rams even made the announcement about Sundays throwbacks in true Hollywood fashion -- on Ryan Seacrests radio show.NO TIME TO SIT: Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson started the week with questions about whether hed be able to play. By Wednesday, he was a full participant in practice.So much for Los Angeles getting a break.Wilson was listed on the injury report for the first time in his career this week with the sprained right ankle after Ndamukong Suh stepped on him in the opener. Expect his mobility to be somewhat limited, which could be significant considering the amount of pressure the Rams have been able to put on Wilson in previous meetings.I think really great performers find a way, Carroll said. You dont have to be 100 percent all the time to operate at a really high level.HOLD THE LINE: The Seahawks have not done well standing up to the Rams vaunted defensive line, which could be Los Angeles only significant advantage against Seattle.The Rams sacked Wilson 16 times in the previous four meetings, winning three of those. Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, Michael Brockers -- who got a contract extension this week -- and the rest have made life miserable for the Seahawks.Seattle believes its offensive line will be better than in the opener, when JMarcus Webb had to be inserted at guard just days before facing Miami after rookie Germain Ifedi went down with an ankle injury.These guys are maybe a little more active, but big powerful people, Seattle offensive line coach Tom Cable said. This whole month is kind of this way with all those teams were playing. Its a really good opportunity to learn and grow a whole bunch.---AP Sports Writer Tim Booth in Seattle contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '