The Pirates have narrowed the gap in the standings, trailing St. Louis by just three games.
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The Cardinals later announced Piscotty had suffered a head contusion and was being taken to a local hospital for further examination. He will be held overnight for observation. Both Polanco and Andrew McCutchen bobbled the ball in the outfield allowing Matt Carpenter to come all the way from first base and score. The slugger’s numbers are pedestrian, as he’s hitting.236/.323/.410 with 13 home runs and 48 RBI on the year. September. Jonathan Broxton (4-5) earned the win.
For weeks, it’s been seemingly inevitable that the Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates would play October. 7 in the National League wild card game. If St. Louis can’t turn the tables on their NL Central foes, then they may soon find themselves swimming in shark-infested waters.
Instead, St. Louis did what it has done all year, relying on its pitching and just enough hitting to keep Pittsburgh at bay.
When they outhit their opponents, the Cardinals are 59-17.
The Pirates stranded 16 runners and left the bases loaded four times in a 3-0 loss Monday night. Josh Harrison has feasted on Lyons, going 5-12 with a double and triple and two RBIs, while Starling Marte has gone 3-8 with a triple and home run. Lynn needed 96 pitches to retire 15 batters, walking four with six strikeouts. Due to the injury to Carlos Martinez, the Cardinals had no chance to even consider shuffling their rotation to avoid Lance Lynn in this series, so he will go for the Redbirds Monday Night. He threw 56 pitches, 43 of which were strikes. Happ was lifted for pinch-hitter Michael Morse with two outs and two on in the sixth. Piscotty’s head appeared to make contact with Bourjos’s knee.
Bourjos, who caught the ball, immediately waved to the dugout for help for his fallen teammate.
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Piscotty was strapped to a backboard and carted off the field.
