Bats Come Alive As Bucs Roll to 11-6 Win

Well, so much for the anticipated well-tossed game. Matt Carpenter singled and Tommy Pham homered in the first off Gerrit Cole to make 2-0 Cardinals in a hurry. But Lance Lynn would have an Elm Street nightmare during his turn. A double, four singles, two walks, and a bases-loaded triple by Jordy (Dexter Fowler tried to shoestring the sinker and missed) got him yanked; a wild pitch and two-run three-bagger by Starling off Josh Lucas made it 8-2. The second went quietly, with Adam Wainwright on the slab for the Redbirds, as both sides turned DPs. Gerrit was still wobbly in the third when the Cards went single-single-double to open, but he escaped with just a run crossing by following with a pair of K and a pop. The Bucs used a couple of knocks of their own around a bunt to answer with Starling's sac fly.

No pressure tonight (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

It stayed 9-3 until Sam Tuivailala took the ball into the fifth. Eli singled and came home on Jordy's two-bagger. He's a homer away from the cycle, but he won't get a chance to join that club as Max Moroff replaced him. With Redbirds at first and second with two down in the sixth, Clint yanked Cole Train (103 pitches) for AJ Schugel. Schugs gave up a walk, a single that was booted by Cutch and an infield knock; three runs scored, making it 10-6. Huddy came in to close it down. The Bucs left two guys on against Sandy Alcantara. Hudson had a calm seventh; Brett Cecil did likewise. Dan Runzler got an out and Dovydas Neverauskas got two more in the eighth (don't ask; too many temptations for managers in September). The Pirates added on when Freeser doubled home J-Bell, both reaching with two outs against Seung Hwan Oh. Johnny Barbato came to turn out the lights but didn't get the chance; after an out, the Cards used a pinch hitter and Clint countered with Jack Leathersich, who did flip the switch.

We're pretty sure both starters would like a mulligan for this one, but hey, it's nice to have at least one night when every mistake doesn't become a coffin nail.

Lordy, Lordy... (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Notes:

• Jordy and Gregory had three hits; Fraze, Freeser and Eli each had a pair.
• The Pirates scored nine runs from September 12-19th during their seven-game losing streak. They scored eight in the first inning tonight.
• The St. Louis Cardinals tied a major league record for the most pinch hitters used in an inning with six in the sixth. The Cards (24) and Bucs (17) used 41 players tonight.
• The Bucs drew 29,672 for tonight's game. 
• Last week it was the Giants and Ryan Vogelsong; today it was the Reds and Bronson Arroyo. Cincy held a pre-game ceremony for the 40-year-old Arroyo, who is retiring after 16 years in the show. He began his journey in 2000 as a Bucco and spent nine of his last 10 campaigns as a Redleg.