St. Louis Cardinals 3 Pittsburgh Pirates 2 (April 10, 2007)
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0 commentsAfter Braden Looper shutdown the Pirates, the Cardinals started Randy Keisler(0-0) in place of an injured Chris Carpenter. Tom Gorzelanny(1-0) hoped to receive more run support than Ian Snell the night before in the Pirates 3-0 loss.
The Pirates were the first team on the board this time. They threatened in the first. Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez collected back-to-back singles, followed by a Jason Bay walk to load the bases with one out. Xavier Nady popped out to 1B Albert Pujols and Adam LaRoche flew out to the warning track in center.
Keisler then retired the next 12 Pirates before Jose Bautista came to bat in the fifth. He took Keisler's pitch to right center over the Heinz sign on the wall to put Pittsburgh up 1-0.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals were helpless against Gorzelanny. He went 7 innings, allowed 4 hits, no walks, struck out five, and let up no runs.
In the bottom of the sixth, Freddy Sanchez doubled and Bay drove him in with a linedrive single to leftfield.
The score remained 2-0 until the top of the ninth when Salomon Torres came on to close the game for the Buccos. David Eckstein hit a leadoff single and Chris Duncan drew ball four on a 3-1 count. Pujols flew out and moved the runners to second and third with one out for Scott Spiezio. He hit a sharp liner to rightfield, easily scoring both runners to tie the game at 2-2. It was Torres' first blown save of the year.
The Pirates got two men on in the tenth, but Sanchez and Bay struck out swinging to end the threat.
After Shawn Chacon pitched scoreless tenth and eleventh innings, John Wasdin came in to relieve. He struck out Preston Wilson to start the inning, but then Gary Bennett singled and Aaron Miles doubled down the leftfield line to put two men in scoring position with one out. Pirates Manager Jim Tracy opted to intentionally walk Yadier Molina. With the bases loaded, Skip Shumaker lofted a flyball to leftfield. Bennett tagged up and attempted to beat Bay's throw to the plate. The throw beat Bennett to the plate, but C Ronny Paulino dropped the ball while making the tag. The Cardinals took the lead 3-2.
Jason Isringhausen saved the game by getting Freddy Sanchez to ground in to a game-ending double play.
Notes:
The Pirates turned four double plays on defense.
Brad Thompson earned the win by throwing two scoreless innings.
Freddy Sanchez hit 3-6.
Aaron Miles went 4-5 to raise his average to .400.
Albert Pujols went 0-5, dropping his average to .167.
Date
April 10, 2007
