Game Report: Cardinals 5, Pirates 4 (10 innings)
For the second game in a row, the Cardinals were shut out on just two hits through six innings Wednesday night by the Pirates. And for the second game in a row, they rallied to tie the game and then won it in extra innings.
Home runs from Paul DeJong in the seventh and Harrison Bader in the eighth tied the game before the Cardinals scored twice in the 10th. Kolten Wong tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a single by Tyler O’Neill before the second run later scored on a wild pitch.
The Cardinals needed that extra run as the Pirates took advantage of three consecutive walks to score once in the bottom of the 10th and then left the bases loaded on a game-ending groundout, helping the Cardinals go 3-3 on their six-game road trip to begin the season.
Here is how the game broke down:
At the plate: DeJong led off the seventh with his second homer of the year and in the eighth Kolten Wong drew a leadoff walk before Bader also hit his second home run … Wong just missed his fourth home run in the 10th when his triple hit high off the right field wall … Yadier Molina had a single in four at-bats and is now 2-of-24 to start the season … O’Neill’s RBI single in the 10th was the Cardinals only hit in seven at-bats with a runner in scoring position. They were a combined 7-of-46 with a man on second or third during the season-opening trip … After striking out a combined 32 times in their previous two games, the Cardinals struck out eight times on Wednesday night.
On the mound: Miles Mikolas came out of his second start after five innings, the same as he did on opening day. He allowed another homer, his fourth in those 10 innings … The Cardinals trailed 3-0 after the third but Dominic Leone, Mike Mayers, Andrew Miller and John Gant kept the Pirates scoreless until the 10th … Alex Reyes gave up a leadoff single and also walked two in the 10th before Dakota Hudson relieved with the bases loaded and walked in a run. He then got the final two outs on a foul pop out and a grounder, stranding the three runners … Gant got the win, becoming the first pitcher in Cardinals history with two wins and a save through the first six games of the season.
Key stat: The Cardinals do not have an RBI out of their starting cleanup hitter through the first six games of the season. Marcell Ozuna started the first five games and Jose Martinez hit cleanup on Wednesday night when Ozuna was scratched after batting practice because of tightness in his right side … With no RBIs through his five starts, Ozuna is the first starting cleanup hitter to begin a season with that long of a streak without an RBI for the Cardinals since Brian Jordan did not have an RBI in the first seven games in 1997.
Worth noting: The Cardinals announced more than 24 hours in advance that they were moving their home opener from Thursday to 3:15 p.m. on Friday because of the forecast for all-day rain in St. Louis. All of the pre-game ceremonies will still begin at the same time as scheduled, 2:30 p.m. … After coming out of Monday night’s game with a bruised toe when he was hit by a pitch, Dexter Fowler was back in the starting lineup … The Cardinals’ four full-season minor-league affiliates are all scheduled to begin their seasons on Thursday. Austin Gomber draws the opening-day start in Memphis.
Looking ahead: Jack Flaherty is still scheduled to start the re-scheduled home opener on Friday against the Padres, followed by Michael Wacha on Saturday and Adam Wainwright on Sunday.
