Moran's Big Day Not Enough; Bullpen Implosion, Walks & Miscues Give Cards a 6-5, 11-Inning Win

Chris Archer put up a zero against the Cards in the first, fanning a pair. His mateys did better, putting up a three spot to start the home season. Adam Wainwright walked three guys; all three scored, one on a J-Bell bouncer and two more on Colin Moran's two-out two bagger. There was no more damage until the third when a Starling single, Corey D double and J-Bell sac fly made it 4-0. Ho fourth inning noise; Cervy kept his batterymate clean by gunning down would-be larcenist Dexter Fowler (his throw beat the Card easily; a sloppy tag by Fraze caused a safe call on the field that was overturned by Clint's challenge). The Bucs TOOTBLAN'ed their way out of a chance when Erik Gonzalez singled, but was doubled up when he took too aggressive a turn around third on Archie's bunt. There have been seven walks (one intentional) between Archie (3) and Waino (4) so far; plate ump Jerry Layne isn't giving the hurlers much benefit around the edges.

It all went downhill when Archie left (photo Pirates/MLB)

The fifth was calm; a leadoff knock went for naught when Archie fanned the next three Redbirds (he's up to 8 K, but has hurled 99 pitches) and John Brebbia, who took over for Wainwright, tossed a 1-2-3 frame. Kyle Crick was waved in for the sixth, and he got two more whiffs in a clean frame; Brebbia gave up a walk that lead to nothing. Ric Rod came on in the seventh and bopped Fowler, then gave up a Kolten Wong blast on an 0-2 heater. An infield hit and a botched DP bouncer by Colin Moran brought the water to a boil and Frankie Liriano to the hill. He walked the bases loaded for Goldy, missing badly after getting ahead 1-2, bringing Keone Kela to the hill. He walked Goldschmidt after getting ahead 0-2, but maintained after that with a short fly and two whiffs. And give Cervy some love; he stopped at least four balls ticketed for the backstop. Jerry Layne took his leave after the frame; he took a foul off the mask a couple of batters prior. Domenic Leone came in; a dropped fly put JB Shuck at second. Two outs later, JB was on third and Andrew Miller was called in to face Corey D. He walked him and bopped J-Bell in the ankle. Mike Mayers came on and fell behind Cervy 3-0, but came back and got him 6-3 to end the frame.

Nick Burdi took the hill in the eighth. A soft grounder went off his glove - it was hit to his right, opposite the way he falls off the mound - and that deflection hurt. After two whiffs and a wild pitch, Tyler O'Neill hit a soft liner to left that kicked up chalk to tie the game, bringing Felipe Vazquez into the game. He completed the trifecta, fanning Matt Carpenter. Colin loves Home Opening Day; Mayers came a little up and in with a heater, and Redbeard dropped the ball among the Clemente stand fans. After a couple of pop outs, Mayers bopped JB and Fraze singled, but Starling looked at strike three; now it's up to Felipe to bring home the bacon. An error by Gonzalez started the frame; a wild pitch and one-out double to the gap tied it. Vazquez got the next two but he'll appreciate tomorrow off; he threw 25 pitches yesterday and 31 today. Jordan Hicks hit triple digits and got a K, walk and 6-4-3 DP to take it into extras.

Colin had a hot stick - 2019 Topps Legacy

Steven Brault got the 10th and copied Hicks (except for the velo) with a K, walk, and around-the-horn DP. Hicks tossed a 1-2-3 frame, making a nice play on Gonzalez's comebacker to end the inning. Steven got two quick outs (one whiff getting Matt Carpenter bounced from the game), followed by a seeing-eye single, bopped batter and walk. Nick Kingham came on and immediately crossed up Cervy; his pitch went off Amore's glove, off the ump and in came the lead (and eventual winning) run, followed by a bases-filling walk. Then Nick picked Yadi off second; Matt Weiters tried to score on the play (dunno if that's the ol' Clint delayed steal ploy or more likely, a TOOTBLAN) and was cut down easily. John Gant came in, looking for his first career save. He got it - Fraze walked with an out, then Starling banged into a custom tailored 6-4-3 DP.

No need to elaborate - walk eight guys, hit three more, throw two wild pitches, play the infield like it's a a minefield, hit into three DP's and go 1-for-10 with RISP give this defeat a thousand fathers. The game did have it's drama, but it certainly wasn't because of the play of either club (the Cards also gave up eight walks, beaned a pair and stranded a dozen runners).

Notes:

• Colin Moran had a homer, double, two walks, three RBI; Josh Bell also drove in a pair. The Pirates only had six hits on the day and just two after the fourth inning.
• There were over 400 pitches thrown today - 238 by the Bucs, 191 by the Cards.
• The gate was 37,336; a sellout by sale as there were some open seats in the park, likely due to the football weather. There weren't many left for the bitter end - the game took 4:50 to play. 
• The Cards snapped the Pirates five-game Home Opener winning streak.
• The extension trend continues as BoSox SS Xavier Bogaerts was signed until 2025 with a $120M deal; it does have an opt-out for Bo and an option for Boston.