Matt Holliday and Kolten Wong each connected for three-run home runs as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates by an 8-5 score Friday night in front of 33,507 fans.
“When the other team hits two three run homers, it causes some separation,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It was two of our better games back to back offensively. I definitely don’t think there’s over-trying going on.”
The Pirates struck first with a run in the first inning. Gregory Polanco led off the game with a single and scored when Starling Marte reached base when his batted ball deflected off Pete Kozma’s glove.
Jhonny Peralta tied the game in the second inning with his fourth homer of the season, caroming off the Pirates bullpen wall.
The Cardinals scored three runs in the third inning. Pitcher Michael Wacha [5-0] reached base because of a Josh Harrison error and Peter Bourjos doubled, putting both runners in scoring position. Holliday then took a Francisco Liriano [1-2] pitch into the North Side Notch in left field and cleared the wall by a comfortable margin. The three-run homer was Holliday’s second of the season.
“I just made a couple of mistakes tonight and you cannot make those mistakes at this level,” Liriano said. “I left pitches over the plate and they put good swings on it.”
Three consecutive base runners allowed the Pirates to score a run in the bottom of the third inning. Walker was hit by a pitch, Andrew McCutchen singled and Marte picked up an RBI with a single. With two runners in scoring position, Alvarez struck out ending the threat and leaving two runners on base.
In the sixth inning, the Pirates cut the deficit to 4-3. McCutchen led off the inning with a double to the North Side Notch and a Marte single advanced him 90 feet. Alvarez then grounded into a force play and Marte was out at second base. On the throw, McCutchen advanced home. Peralta’s throw beat McCutchen but catcher Yadier Molina could not hang on to the ball.
The Cardinals created separation, however, plating four in the top of the seventh inning. Molina opened the inning with a double down the left field line and advanced after a passed ball. Pinch-hitter Jon Jay then brought Molina home with an RBI single. This was the last batter Liriano faced.
Arquimedes Caminero then entered the game and Bourjos greeted him with a double that advanced Jay to third. The next batter, Wong hit the first pitch he saw above the Clemente Wall in right field for the second three run homer of the game for the Cardinals. Wong was 3-for-5 at the plate and fell a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
Liriano’s final line was 6.1 innings pitched , six hits, six runs [five earned], one walk and a season high 10 strikeouts. Liriano threw 98 pitches, 62 for strikes.
A Walker RBI added a fourth run to the Pirates cause in the bottom of the seventh inning. Walker scored Jung-ho Kang, who came in as part of a double switch when Liriano was removed from the game. Kang had singled and advanced to second base on a Polanco ground out.
The Pirates added a run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Harrison ended an 0-for-20 streak at the plate with a single. Francisco Cervelli singled and Harrison advanced to third base. He scored when pinch-hitter Corey Hart grounded into a double play.
Trevor Rosenthal pitched the ninth inning and earned his 11th save of the season, tying him with Jeurys Familia for the National League lead.
Marte was 3-for-4 on the game and has reached safely in six of his past nine plate appearances.
“We’ve seen it before, he has a great balance right now in the box,” said Hurdle. “He’s getting the ball up and swinging at strikes. He’s hitting it around the ballpark. His approach is very good right now, really clean.”
This series will resume on Saturday when Vance Worley [2-2 3.90 ERA] takes on Carlos Martinez [3-0 3.64 ERA]. Worley is 0-0 with a 4.03 ERA in four career starts against the Cardinals. Martinez has made one start against the Pirates and it resulted in a no-decision. Martinez made four relief appearances against the Pirates at PNC Park and has a 6.00 ERA.
Photo courtesy: Al Behrman/AP
