Bullpen Falters; Goldy's Dinger Carries Cards to 6-5 Victory & Series Win

Daniel Ponce de Leon got the first two Bucs, but not Starling, who pounced on a hung curve and took it yard to make it 1-0. Chris Archer gave up an 0-2 leadoff knock to Tommy Edman, and after a grounder, which was nicely turned into an out by K-Man, moved him up, Edman scored on a two-down single by Tyler O'Neill, who the Pirates have been unable to solve this series. A boot by Redbeard followed, dropping a pop he lost in the sun, before the third out. Colin dropped a one-out rap into center in the second for the Pittsburgh action. The Cards opened with an infield knock and double; Archie walked two guys around a whiff to load the bases twice, but got away with one run on a sac fly. Archie and K-Man started the third with raps; they went nowhere. The Redbirds didn't make a peep in their half. The Pirates got Melky and Redbeard aboard via a knock & a walk to start the fourth; JHK banged into a DP. Jake was walked intentionally, but Archie crossed them up with a RBI knock. Another single by K-Man loaded the bases before Bryan Reynolds' flare plated two more Buccos to make it 4-2. Dominic Leone was waved in to get the third out. Arch tossed another clean frame.

Archie was competitive again - image AT&T SportsNet

Chasen Shreve got the fifth inning call and sat down the Corsairs. O'Neill *surprise* homered for the Cards. John Brebbia struck out the side in the sixth and Archer had a quiet frame, too. It was 1-2-3 for the Buccos in the seventh. Frankie came on for Arch, who had another creditable outing today. Liriano gave up a single and walk after an out, and Michael Feliz took over. The first guy he faced, Paul Goldschmidt, homered, and just like that it was 6-4 Redbirds. Andrew Miller got the eighth and three-up, three-downed the Pirates. Kyle Crick threw an easy frame. Carlos Martinez climbed the bump for the close in the ninth. He was greeted by Fraze single, and two outs later, by back-to-back knocks from K-Man and Bryan Reynolds to make it 6-5 and leave Pirates on the corners. Starling couldn't keep the music playing, though, and his bouncer to short allowed the Cards to hang on.

Well, kinda the story for the Buc bullpen; a walk scores ahead of a homer and the Bucs come from ahead to lose. Five runs on 11 hits is a good afternoon, but the Sunday lineup of Clint's didn't help - Joey O, JHK and Jake went 0-for-9. This is the game that could have put them back into the mix, but it just looks like the pitching isn't going to allow it. It's good to see Archie look big league lately; still, spinning a couple of quality starts isn't a lot to hang your hat on.

Bryan's back in the swing after a brief slump - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

Notes:

• K-Man had three hits; Bryan Reynolds had two with three RBI and Arch even had a pair of knocks.
• This was Chris Archer's first multi-hit game; he spent the first seven seasons in the AL, so didn't get much chance to swing the lumber while in the junior circuit. 
• The Cards Andrew Knizner got his first MLB knock today.
• Pittsburgh went 1-5 on the road trip out of the break.