|
 "That late in the game, I'm looking for something to drive to get
into the gap or hit out of the park," he said.
Mission accomplished, against a foe that is getting familiar with
Wong's flair for the dramatic.
Jumping on a 1-1 changeup from Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Radhames
Liz, Wong cranked it 421 feet into the St. Louis bullpen behind the
right-center-field wall, lifting the Cardinals to a 3-2 decision.
It was Wong's second career walkoff homer -- both against
Pittsburgh. Wong also tied a key September game last year with a
two-run blast in the seventh inning, keying a comeback victory that
day.
Wong's second homer of the year stretched St. Louis' winning streak
to six games, improving its major league-best record to 18-6. It put
a fitting cap on a sweep of the Pirates (12-13) in which the
Cardinals walked off in all three games.
"All I've got is wow," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "Just
loved how the guys kept playing."
Everyone played and played this weekend, and particularly in this
one. The teams combined to use 38 players, including 14 pitchers.
The Cardinals ran out of position players in the 11th and employed
pitcher Seth Maness as a pinch-hitter in the 13th. He popped out on
a bunt attempt.
In 35 innings of baseball this weekend, the teams scored 11 runs
between them.
"Good starting pitching," Matheny explained. "This Pittsburgh team
has been throwing the ball real well, so it probably shouldn't be a
surprise that we got locked up the way we did."
On the strength of a leadoff homer in the fourth by third baseman
Matt Carpenter, who left the game after seven innings because of
lightheadedness, St. Louis led 1-0 entering the ninth.
But closer Trevor Rosenthal's first pitch of the inning was jacked
over the left-center field wall by third baseman Jung Ho Kang. It
was the first major league homer for the Korean, who hit 139 homers
in his last seven seasons in Korea, including 40 last year.
"I was ready up there and the timing was perfect," said Kang through
an interpreter. "I got a good swing and hit a home run. But we lost
the game, so it was sad that the home run didn't lead to winning."
It looked like it might lead to a Pirate victory when first baseman
Pedro Alvarez, who walked his previous four plate appearances,
rifled a homer off the back wall of the Cardinals' bullpen with two
outs in the top of the 12th to snap a 1-1 tie.
[to top of second column] |
However, center fielder Peter Bourjos evened the game up against Liz
(1-2) in the St. Louis 12th with a one-out bases-loaded infield
single off the glove of diving third baseman Josh Harrison.
Reliever Miguel Socolovich (1-0), the Cardinals' eighth pitcher of
the day, worked a clean 14th to earn his first major league win.
As has been the case throughout the series, both starters pitched
well but had to settle for no-decisions.
Pirates right-hander Vance Worley gave up only four hits and a run
in six innings, walking one and whiffing five. St. Louis' Michael
Wacha worked 6 2/3 innings, permitting five hits and two walks while
fanning two.
Wacha was denied his fifth straight win by Rosenthal's first blown
save in nine chances, but the Cardinals emerged victorious from
another pitching battle between the major league's top two teams in
terms of earned run average.
"It's really special, especially against the Pirates, who we know
are a good team," Wong said. "We know this is going to be a tough
division, so to pull off these three wins is big for us."
NOTES: St. Louis RHP Jordan Walden (right biceps) went on the 15-day
disabled list Sunday and was replaced by RHP Sam Tuivailala. In
eight games at Triple-A Memphis, Tuivailala hadn't allowed a run in
nine innings, giving up just three hits and fanning 12. ...
Pittsburgh RF Gregory Polanco collected two hits Saturday, raising
his average in day games this season to .455. ... Cardinals manager
Mike Matheny said Sunday morning that LHP Tyler Lyons would start
Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs. Lyons is 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA
in four starts at Memphis despite allowing 34 baserunners over 21
2/3 innings.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
