Seven-run first inning leads to Pittsburgh Pirates 10-5 victory over Cardinals

After losing the first two games of the series, the Pittsburgh Pirates pounced on Lance Lynn in the first inning and defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 10-5 on Thursday. The win represents Pittsburgh’s first win in St. Louis this season and ends the series on a high note as they sit six games back of first place in the division instead of eight.

The Pirates got to Lynn in the first inning, scoring seven runs (three earned) on a barrage of hits. Neil Walker got the scoring started when he tripled and then scored on a double by Andrew McCutchen. Jung Ho Kang hit a groundball to Matt Carpenter, but he threw it past first base which allowed McCutchen to score and Kang to advance to second. Pedro Alvarez clobbered a ball to deep center for his 17th home run of the season, giving the Pirates a 4-0 lead lead.

Lynn then plunked Francisco Cervelli and Travis Ishikawa moved him to second with a single. Francisco Liriano helped his own cause with a run scoring single before the lineup turned over with still just one out in the inning. Lynn was unable to retire Gregory Polanco, who provided yet another run-scoring single. At this point Mike Matheny marched to the mound to get Lynn, who clearly did not have his best stuff on Thursday in the shortest start of his career. Tyler Lyons relieved Lynn but gave up another run-scoring single, this time to Walker, that was charged to Lynn. After McCutchen grounded out to end the inning, Liriano prepared to take the mound with a 7-0 lead.

The Cardinals got two runs in the first inning off of a single by Yadier Molina. Jason Heyward, who had walked earlier, tried to advance to third but was thrown out in the attempt. Those two runs were all that Liriano would allow until the sixth inning when Kolten Wong grounded out but in the process scored Jhonny Peralta. Liriano went a total of six innings and gave up three runs off of six hits and four walks, but also struck out five.

Joakim Soria relieved Liriano and got knocked around by the Cardinals. Matt Carpenter reached on a bunt single and moved to second when Soria let loose with a wild pitch. Peralta’s single scored Carpenter and the subsequent single by Heyward loaded the bases. Clint Hurdle elected to bring Tony Watson in to get the last two outs of the inning and did so, but also gave up a sacrifice fly to Molina to score Randal Grichuk to bring the Cardinals within two runs at 7-5.

But the Pirates put the game away in the ninth inning when Walker doubled and scored Starling Marte, who was inserted as a pinch runner for Michael Morse. With Polanco on third and Walker on second, the Cardinals intentionally walked McCutchen to get to Kang. Kang did hit into a double play but another run scored. Aramis Ramirez pinch hit for Watson and singled to score McCutchen and give the Pirates a 10-5 lead.

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