Matt Carpenter hit a two-out, 0-2 solo home run to right-center in the ninth to forge a 6-6 tie – establishing a major league record with St. Louis’ 15th pinch-hit homer of the season. St. Louis is also 6-2 in Leake’s last seven road starts versus a team with a losing record, and 6-2 in Leake’s last eight starts in game three of a series.
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After the Pirates fought back from a 5-0 deficit to take a 6-5 lead into the ninth, Tony Watson was one out away from wrapping up his 11th save before a three home run barrage lifted the Cardinals to a 9-7 victory. Wainwright gave up four runs on seven hits over five innings.
The St. Louis Cardinals handed the Pirates their seventh consecutive loss, a 12-6 thrashing Monday afternoon at PNC Park. “That’s what you play the game for, the big moment when you can help your team out”. “We never quit, and tonight was a good example of it”.
Watson, moved to the closer role after Pittsburgh sent All-Star Mark Melancon to Washington at the trade deadline, quickly retired the first two batters in the ninth and had Carpenter down 0-2 when Carpenter changed things completely with one swing.
“To be a strike away and to serve up four runs, it’s tough”, Watson said.
Manny Machado hit a grand slam in the fourth inning, leading Baltimore over Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field. Seung-Hwan Oh gave up Jung Ho Kang’s second homer of the night in the ninth but picked up his 16th save.
Watson was one strike away from a Pirates win, one strike away from knocking the Cardinals back a game in the wild-card race, one strike away from putting the Mets into a tie with the Cardinals.
The first-place Nationals remained 8 1/2 games ahead of the New York Mets in the National League East.
“I’m speechless”, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “Just, I love how this team competes, right down to the last out”. We’ve got some guys that are not quite having the seasons they’ve had in the past. “I’m at a loss”. He’s given up a career-high nine home runs.
Pittsburgh has lost the first two games of the series, with Tuesday’s game a real heartbreaker. If the Pirates don’t win the next two against the Cardinals, they can basically kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. Opponents have outscored them 47-22 during the slide, including a 12-6 setback on Monday night in which the Cardinals simply overpowered Pittsburgh’s struggling pitching staff. Kolten Wong opened the game with a triple to left, Brandon Moss walked an out later and Adams reached on a fielder’s choice when first baseman John Jaso hesitated with the ball to look Wong back to third, and everyone was safe.
St. Louis rookie outfielder Jose Martinez made his long-awaited major league debut when he entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh. In his 14 games and 3-4 record this year, Taillon has put up a 3.25 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP in 83 innings.
“We’re trying to figure ourselves out and get out of this and get back to playing baseball the way we want to play”, shortstop Jordy Mercer said. “This is a good day for him”.
Cardinals: RF Stephen Piscotty was initially held out of the lineup to give his aching left wrist a breather. “We’ll take it, man”, said St. Louis’ starter and victor Monday, Adam Wainwright. Postgame X-rays were negative and Piscotty doubled as a pinch-hitter in the eighth.
– Catcher Francisco Cervelli left the game after striking out in the bottom of the fourth inning with discomfort in his left thumb.
On Wednesday, the Cardinals will be bringing out right-hander Mike Leake.
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Luke Weaver (1-2, 3.86 ERA) will make his fifth major-league start for the Cardinals. The Pirates are now 67-68 and are below.500 for the first time since July 2.
