By Chris Brown / STL Baseball Today

Updated 9/28 @ 8:30 am CT:

Despite Sunday’s crushing 8-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers — who lit up closer Trevor Rosenthal in the ninth inning — the Cardinals are now in position to clinch in the NL Central division with a series win in Pittsburgh this week.

Cubs ace Jake Arrieta twirled seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts as the northsiders defeated the Pirates 4-0 on Sunday Night Baseball. Pittsburgh’s loss brings the Cardinals’ division lead back to three with six games to play (three in Pittsburgh, three in Atlanta), and the magic number to clinch the NL Central is now down to just four.

Calling the redbirds upcoming series in the Steel City a key one would be nothing but an understatement. If the Cardinals can win two of the three games against the Buccos, the team would secure its third straight division title. However, a sweep by Pittsburgh would mean a first place tie with just three games remaining.

Series schedule/matchups:

• Monday: 6:05pm CT, FS Midwest & ESPN2 — RHP Lance Lynn (12-10, 3.16 ERA) vs LHP J.A. Happ (10-8, 3.88 ERA)

• Tuesday: 6:05pm CT, FS Midwest — RHP Michael Wacha (17-6, 3.15 ERA) vs RHP Charlie Morton (9-8, 4.54 ERA)

• Wednesday: 6:05pm CT, FS Midwest & ESPN — LHP Tyler Lyons (2-1, 3.96 ERA) vs RHP Gerrit Cole (18-8, 2.60 ERA)

Other notes:

• The Cardinals are just 2-5 in Pittsburgh this season and are 5-11 at PNC park since the start of the 2014 season.

• Lance Lynn tossed six shutout innings in his last start Wednesday against the Reds, but the 28-year-old has struggled against the Pirates this season, surrendering nine runs on 19 hits in 11 2/3 innings against them this year.

• With one week remaining in the regular season, the top three teams in the NL Central have all reached at least 90 wins. The Cardinals won the division last season with exactly 90 victories.

• During Sunday’s final game at Busch Stadium this season, the Cardinals announced a final 2015 home attendance of 3,520,889, the fourth highest in in franchise history. 45,021 tickets were sold for the Cardinals series finale against the Brewers on Sunday, the team’s 37th sellout of the season. Read more on KMOV.com.

Feature image used under Creative Commons from Joel Dinda. No changes made. Image license.