Bay's pinch-hit HR lifts Pirates past Cards 11-5

[May 16, 2008]  ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Pinch-hitter Jason Bay 's three-run homer off Jason Isringhausen snapped an eighth-inning tie and capped the Pittsburgh Pirates' rally from an early four-run deficit in an 11-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.

Nate McLouth added his 11th homer for the Pirates, who outscored the sagging Cardinals 10-0 the last five innings to take two of three in the series. The finale was played in 56-degree chill accompanied by steady rain throughout the comeback, with nearly 10,000 no-shows in paid attendance of 41,244.

Troy Glaus had three hits and an RBI, and Albert Pujols extended his hitting streak to 14 games for the Cardinals, who failed to put the game away against Ian Snell. St. Louis had 11 hits during Snell's four-inning stint but only a 5-1 lead while stranding eight runners, leaving the bases loaded in the first and two on in the second and fourth.

The Cardinals stranded 13 runners a day after leaving 15 on -- one off their season high -- in a 5-1 victory. They lead the major leagues in runners left on, and have lost seven of nine.

Isringhausen (1-5) was demoted from the closer's role last week and was serving as the setup man for Ryan Franklin, but ended up with his sixth blown save in 17 chances. Bay is 2-for-11 with a pair of homers against Isringhausen and 2-for-12 for his career as a pinch hitter after lofting his eighth homer, and the first pinch-hit shot of his career, just beyond the left-field wall and out of the grasp of a staggering Chris Duncan on a 1-2 pitch for an 8-5 lead.

Isringhausen's throwing error on a bunt, a wild attempt to get the lead runner at third, allowed the tying run to score. The 35-year-old right-hander, who was 32-for-34 in save chances last year, lasted one-third of an inning and was charged with four runs -- three earned. He departed with an 8.00 ERA.

John Grabow (3-1) got the last two outs in the seventh for the Pirates, who nailed down their eighth victory in 10 games with three more runs in the ninth off Ron Villone.

Pujols was 2-for-5, also extending his streak of reaching base in all 42 of his games to start the season. Duncan had a two-run double in a three-run fourth that put the Cardinals ahead 5-1.

Snell, who allowed five runs in four innings, is 0-2 in his last six starts. The Pirates reduced a four-run deficit to one with a three-run fifth highlighted by Jason Michaels' two-run double off Joel Pineiro.

Doug Mientkiewicz got a spot start for Pittsburgh and was 3-for-3 with two walks. He also scored three times.

[Associated Press; By R.B. FALLSTROM]

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