Sports Network | August 25, 2010
Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) – Daniel McCutchen threw six strong innings and Neil Walker hit a three-run triple as the Pittsburgh Pirates took a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the finale of a three-game set from PNC Park.
McCutchen (2-5) gave up just three hits and two walks while striking out five, and Garrett Jones added a solo homer for the Pirates, who have won three of their last four. Jose Tabata drove in the other run and also scored once.
Felipe Lopez hit solo home run and Aaron Miles drove in the other for the Cardinals, who dropped the final two games after taking the opener. Jake Westbrook (1-2) dropped his second straight start as he was touched for four runs on six hits over six innings of work.
The loss, coupled with Cincinnati’s win over San Francisco on Wednesday, dropped St. Louis to 3 1/2 games back of the Reds for first place in the NL Central. Also, St. Louis sits a game back of the Giants and Phillies for the NL Wild Card spot.
With no score in the third, the Pirates surged ahead. Chris Snyder was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and McCutchen reached first on a sac bunt that saw both runners safe. After Andrew McCutchen singled to load the bases, Tabata hit a grounder back to the mound that saw Snyder forced out at home, but Walker followed with a triple to clear the bases for a 3-0 lead.
After St. Louis stranded runners on first and second in the fourth, Pittsburgh tacked on another run in the bottom of the frame as Tabata’s infield single plated Ryan Doumit for a 4-0 lead.
The Cardinals got on the board in the seventh as Lopez led off the frame with a homer to right to cut the lead to 4-1. St. Louis stranded men on first and second in the inning.
Pittsburgh got the run back in the eighth when Jones led off the frame with a blast over center.
Miles’ two-out single in the ninth scored Pedro Feliz to account for the final score.
Despite the loss, St. Louis has still taken six of nine from the Pirates this season…The Cardinals stranded eight men on base…Attendance was 12,686.