Six-run inning propels Pirates past Cardinals

[September 07, 2019]  Adam Frazier hit a two-run triple and Josh Bell a two-run single during a six-run seventh inning Friday as the Pittsburgh Pirates topped the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 9-4.

The Pirates broke an eight-game losing streak against the Cardinals.

Kevin Newman had an RBI double, Starling Marte a two-run single, and Melky Cabrera and Jose Osuna each added an RBI single for Pittsburgh, which has won 10 of 14.

Tommy Edman homered twice and Matt Carpenter added an RBI double for the Cardinals, who had won three of four.

Pittsburgh rookie right-hander Alex McRae, filling in for scheduled starter Joe Musgrove (right foot discomfort), pitched five innings, his longest major league outing, giving up two runs and three hits.

Wei-Chung Wang (3-0) pitched a scoreless two-thirds of an inning in the seventh, and Felipe Vazquez got a four-out save, his 25th.

St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas pitched three-hit ball over five innings, giving up one run, with seven strikeouts and four walks.

Andrew Miller (4-5), one of three Cardinals relievers used in the seventh, gave up three runs and three hits.

With one out in the second and Paul DeJong on first, Edman battled through a long at-bat, sending the 10th pitch into the stands in right for a 2-0 Cardinals lead.

Pittsburgh closed it to 2-1 in the third. Frazier opened with a base hit and later scored on Newman's double.

In the seventh, Edman belted his second homer of the game and seventh of the year, this time to right-center for a 3-1 lead. Harrison Bader then walked and Carpenter's pinch-hit RBI double increased it to 4-1.

Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas (39) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Cole Tucker opened the bottom of the seventh with a pinch-hit single. An out later, Newman walked. That chased reliever John Gant for Miller, who struck out Bryan Reynolds.

Marte singled to load the bases. Bell dropped a base hit in shallow right to drive in Tucker and Newman. Cabrera tied it with a pinch-hit single, and John Brebbia replaced Miller.

Osuna's single brought home Bell for a 5-4 lead, and Frazier tripled off the wall in right to make it 7-4.

Marte's two-run single in the eighth put it far out of reach.

--Field Level Media

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