Pirates/MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates
CARDINALS 5 – PIRATES 4 Win: Seth Maness (6-3)
Loss: G. Cole (7-5)
Save: Trevor Rosenthal (41)
AROUND THE BASES
Gerrit Cole and the Pittsburgh Pirates (71-66) were unable to put the St. Louis Cardinals (74-63) away on Monday afternoon. The Pirates held a 4-2 into the bottom of the seventh until Kolten Wong started a three-run rally for the Cardinals with a two-run, pinch-hit homer off Cole to tie the game 4-4. Cole then allowed a triple to John Jay, putting the go-ahead run at third base and Matt Holliday followed by driving in Jay with an RBI single off reliever John Alford for the eventual game winning run.
With their Ace on the mound it was a game the Pirates had to have after going up 4-2 in the seventh on an Andrew McCutchen solo home run.
The Pirates opened a 2-0 lead in the first as Josh Harrison had a leadoff single to set the tone and Neil Walker would drive in Harrison, McCutchen, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead in the first.
The Pirates was almost 4-0 in the first but John Jay robbed Starling Marte with a running catch in deep center.
The Pirates, though, had their bats going early and Harrison was at it again in the second when he beat out a double play ball, than scored from first on a double to right field field from Andrew Lambo, who has hit safely in four straight games. The Pirates went up 3-0.
The Cardinals, though, would cut the Pirates lead to one run in the third on a 2-run double from Matt Holliday.
Holliday drove in three-runs in the victory, including the game winning run.
“The guy is just unbelievable,” Cole told reporters afterwards.
PRE-GAME REPORT (12:20 P.M.)
PIRATES (71-65) @ CARDINALS (73-63)
PIT Gerrit Cole (7-4, 3.65 ERA) vs STL Lance Lynn (14-8, 2.79 ERA)
Quick Hits
The Cardinals are tied atop the NL Central for the first time in six weeks.
Pittsburgh trails the Brewers and Cardinals by 2 games for NL Central lead.
Since July 1, Cardinals starter Lance Lynn is 6-2 with a 1.85 ERA
Cardinals star catcher Yadier Molina is in the lineup batting 6th today. Molina returned to the lineup Aug. 29 and is 5-10 in his last two games.
PIRATES LINEUP
1. Josh Harrison, 3B
2. Andrew Lambo, RF
3. Andrew McCutchen, CF
4. Neil Walker, 2B
5. Russell Martin, C
6. Ike Davis, 1B
7. Starling Marte, LF
8. Jordy Mercer, SS
9. Gerrit Cole, P
Notes: The Pirates selected the contract of RHP John Holdzkom and optioned him to AAA. Chris McGuiness was designated for assignment. Holdzkom, 26, has a 2.49 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 21.2 IP for Triple-A Indy, He is eligible for playoff roster and known for bringing the heat, throwing 98 mph+. The Pirates also officially recalled Jeff Locke, Gerrit Cole and Tony Sanchez from Triple-A and reinstated Stolmy Pimentel from the DL.
