The start of the Major League Baseball season feels like a holiday for any baseball fan. That is definitely the case for a Pittsburgh Pirates fan, who was looking to put last season in the rear view mirror. Pittsburgh would open the 2022 season on the road with the first of four against the St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis is back with familiar faces this year and look for another division title.
The Cardinals didn’t waste any time jumping on the board, as Tyler O’Neill singled to shallow center to bring in Dylan Carlson. O’Neill struck again in the second, this time with a three run home run to put St. Louis up by four. All four of these runs would be charged to Pirates starter JT Brubaker. Brubaker pitched three innings and walked three batters, while striking out two. His counterpart Adam Wainwright pitched six innings, striking out six, and giving up five hits.
Wil Crowe worked two scoreless innings out of the Pittsburgh bullpen, striking out three and walking two. He was followed by Duane Underwood Jr., who left the game early with a hamstring injury. Underwood allowed one run on one hit. That run scored on a Carlson sac fly in the sixth inning. Heath Hembree would replace Underwood and work a scoreless inning, while walking two batters.
Chris Stratton worked a scoreless seventh inning, before being replaced by Aaron Fletcher in the eighth. Fletcher was hit hard and often during his time on the bump. He would give up a solo home run to Tommy Edman, a sac fly to O’Neill, and a two run home run to Nolan Arenado. That would be the extent of the Cardinals scoring, as they picked up a 9-0 victory.
The Pirates only managed six hits on the day to go with nine strikeouts and two walks. Yoshi Tsutsugo was the only member of the team to have multiple hits, as he would go 2-3. Prior to the game it was announced that Ke’Bryan Hayes had inked a long term extension with the team. Unfortunately he was lifted during the bottom of the first with what was reported as a forearm spasm. After an off day tomorrow, these two teams will meet up again on Saturday.
Record vs. Cardinals: 0-1
Record vs. N.L. Central: 0-1
Record on the Road: 0-1
Overall Record: 0-1
And…
As Always…
Let’s Go Bucs!
