Marte caps 5-run rally as Pirates stun Cards in 11

[April 28, 2018]  Starling Marte hit a two-out RBI single in the 11th inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates erased a five-run deficit Friday to beat the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 6-5.

Marte's hit up the middle came against reliever Jordan Hicks (1-1) and drove in David Freese, who walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and took third on Gregory Polanco's groundout.

The Pirates, who won their third straight, trailed 5-0 before mounting the comeback, aided by two ninth-inning errors. They entered the ninth trailing 5-2.

Corey Dickerson doubled and Francisco Cervelli singled before Colin Moran reached on an error that allowed Dickerson to score. Jordy Mercer doubled to right, where Tommy Pham bobbled the ball for an error, and Pittsburgh tied it with two runs.

Matt Bowman, the Cardinals' fourth pitcher of the inning, eventually sent it to extra innings by striking out Marte with runners at the corners.

Pittsburgh starter Steven Brault allowed five runs (four earned) and five hits in 4 2/3 innings, with three walks and three strikeouts. George Kontos (2-2), the fifth Pittsburgh reliever, pitched a scoreless top of the 11th.

St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, with no walks and seven strikeouts.

In the third, St. Louis took a 3-0 lead. Jedd Gyorko led off with his second homer of the season. Kolten Wong walked, was bunted to second by Mikolas and scored on Pham's double. One out later, Marcell Ozuna singled in Pham.

Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco (25) and first baseman Josh Bell (R) dump water and Powerade on center fielder Starling Marte (C) after Marte hit a game winning single to win the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park.The Pirates won 6-5 in eleven innings. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Cardinals pushed it to 4-0 in the fourth without a hit when Paul DeJong reached on an error, Gyorko walked, both advanced on a wild pitch, and DeJong scored on Wong's sacrifice fly.

In the fifth, St. Louis made it 5-0 and chased Brault. Jose Martinez doubled off the wall in right and scored on Ozuna's single up the middle.

Polanco led off the sixth with his sixth homer to pull the Pirates to within 5-1. Marte, who extended his hitting streak to seven games, and Josh Bell singled, and Marte scored on Dickerson's sacrifice fly to make it 5-2.

--Field Level Media

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