The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided the weekend series sweep, ruining the St. Louis Cardinals’ regular season home-finale with a 7-5 victory at Busch Stadium.
Roansy Contreras and Adam Wainwright started for their respective teams this afternoon, and neither one faired especially well. Contreras lasted just three innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks. Wainwright gave up six runs on six hits and two walks in 4.2 innings. Chase De Jong earned the victory for Pittsburgh, with David Bednar picking up his 19th save of the season.
A ground-rule double by Albert Pujols scored the Cardinals’ first two runs of the game, followed by a sacrifice fly by Yadier Molina to make it 3-0 after the first inning.
Pittsburgh took the lead with four runs in the second inning. A three-run homerun by Ben Gamel tied the game, and a sacrifice fly by Miguel Andujar made it 4-3.
Pujols cracked his 23rd homerun in the third to tie the game, and Paul DeJong doubled home a run in the fourth to make it 5-4 Cardinals.
The Pirates took the lead back with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. A groundout by Andujar tied the game, and a single by Jack Suwinski scored the game-winning run. A solo homerun by Bryan Reynolds, his 27th of the season, gave them an insurance run in the seventh inning.
It has been a terrible season for the Bucs, but this afternoon’s victory was a nice way to end their final road trip of the season. They will now return home to PNC Park for three games to wrap up the 2022 season against the Cardinals, beginning Monday evening.
Record vs. Cardinals: 4-12
Record vs. N.L. Central: 33-40
Record on the Road: 28-53
Overall Record: 60-99
And…
As Always…
Let’s Go Bucs!
