Card Bullpen Ices Bucco Bats: St Louis Rallies To Stay Alive 4-3

Michael Wacha gave up a lead off knock to Fraze and walked S-Rod an out later. With two gone, JHK popped a change that caught too much plate into the seats to give the Bucs a quick 3-0 lead. With an out, a double (reviewed but short of a HR) and infield single put Redbirds on the corners. Chad Kuhl reared back and posted a pair of whiffs to calm the waters. The Cards swapped out Wacha for Miguel Socolovich in the second and he tucked away the bottom of the order. Cool Chad left two Cardinals stranded.

Chad looked pretty sharp in his final start (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Trevor Rosenthal worked the third, matched up against the top of the order and set them down. Chad tossed a clean frame, too. The Pirates managed a walk in the fourth, ditto for the Cards. Jacob Stallings opened the fifth with a single off a mitt. Kuhl isn't much of a sac guy; he bunted one foul off his helmet visor before dropping one that forced the lead runner. J-Bell added a soft rap, but it was the Bucs turn to leave ducks on the pond. The Redbirds put runners at first and second with two outs and again Chad had the answer.

Matt Bowman took the ball in the sixth and tossed a quiet frame; the Bucco attack, except for one big fly, has been AWOL at Busch. A pop-up single that JJ couldn't haul in and a double by Moss put Kuhl in a pickle and Antonio Bastardo got the wave. A whiff, walk and wild pitch made it 3-1 and Matt Holliday's off-the-handle bloop made it 3-2. Juan Nicasio took the ball, and a sac fly tied it up.

JHK gave the Bucs a quick lead with HR #21 (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Pirate offense still refuses to contribute as Jonathan Broxton struck out the side in the seventh. Nicasio pitched a painless inning and Kevin Siegrist came on for the eighth. Matt Joyce singled with two gone, was wild-pitched to second and left aboard. Felipe Rivero took his turn and got two quick outs. He had Jedd Gyorko struck out but the ump missed the call; three pitches later, he took a 100 MPH heater and tucked it into the seats.

Seung Hwan Ho was called on to close the deal. With two gone, Alen Hanson and Jacob Stallings singled. The Bucco catcher stole a sack to put runners at second and third, but P-Flo left 'em there. Et tu, Pedro.

Jacob Stallings had two knocks (image MLB.com)

Well, another nice starting pitching performance, so there's that. Another game lost by the bullpen, so there's that, too. Anyway, one last shot at a spoiler W tomorrow, and then it's wait til next year.

• The only Buc to reach base twice today was Jacob Stalling.
• Ripley stuff: Matt Holliday did not have a pinch-hit RBI over his 1,770 game career; now he's chased home PH runs in his last two games.
• Go-go Buccos: The Pirates have stolen 110 bases, the most since 1999. Starling leads the larceny squad with 47 swipes, and that's with missing a month.