Pirate Bats Sputter Again; Cards Squeak By 2-1

Joe Musgrove gave up a single in the opening frame while picking up a pair of whiffs. Jack Flaherty tossed a clean frame and also picked up two strikeouts. Big Joe ran his K count to four in a quiet second; Flaherty kept pace. The Redbirds led off the third with a two-bagger, but two more strikeouts and a pop calmed the waters. Joey O singled to start, was caught stealing, and two routine outs sealed the frame. The Cards got a man aboard via error in the fourth, but caused no other problems. B-Rey opened with a double, was bunted up and plated on Colin Moran's sac fly to draw first blood. The fifth was Groundhog Day; Big Joe walked a guy while striking out the side, and so did Flaherty. Saint Louis banged another double in the sixth, but two more K kept the runner anchored. The Bucs repeated the one walk, three whiff motif; both starters are done and both ended up with 11 punch outs.

B-Rey's double set up the only Buc run - 2020 Topps Future Stars

Derek Holland got the seventh. He was welcomed by Matt Carpenter's shift-beating slap single and a Yadi homer to turn the tables and put the Cards up 2-1. Tyler Webb 1-2-3'ed Pittsburgh. Nik Turley twirled a clean eighth, as did John Gant. Ric Rod worked the ninth and walked a pair, but closed it out with a K. Andrew Miller was waved in for the save and sat down the Pirates without a swear.

Two hits today, 25 in the five-game series...

Notes:

• No Buc reached base twice; they had two hits and two walks.
• Joe Musgrove set his career high water mark for K's in a game with 11. It's the first time he's spun double-digit strikeouts.
• Pittsburgh is 15-of-25 in the stolen base department; the swipe leader is still Jarrod Dyson with four.
• The Pirates sent 22-year-old LHP Domingo Robles to the Cards and 23-year-old RHP Conner Loeprich to the O's for more spending room in the 2019-2020 international bonus pool. Robles tossed at AA Altoona and Loeprich topped out at A+ Bradenton in 2019. Robles was a rotation arm (9-11/3.49 in '19) while Loeprich mainly relieved but did make eight starts (5-4-1/3.94 in '19) last year.