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 However, even a healthy Molina might not have been enough to keep
the Cardinals from losing to Pittsburgh's Edinson Volquez.
Tossing his first complete game in nearly two years, Volquez threw a
six-hitter as the Pirates salvaged the last of a four-game series
with a 9-1 rout Thursday night at sold-out Busch Stadium.
In notching his fourth straight win, Volquez (8-6) walked two and
fanned five, throwing strikes on 77 of his 114 pitches. He induced
three double-play grounders, including a 6-4-3 off the bat of
shortstop Jhonny Peralta to end it.
The last time Volquez finished what he started was July 19, 2012,
when he came within an infield single of no-hitting the Houston
Astros while pitching for the San Diego Padres.
"The pitching coach (Ray Searage) came up to me before the game, and
I thought we were going to go over the scouting report," Volquez
said. "Instead, he said, 'You've seen these guys before. Just go win
the game.'"
It was Volquez's fourth start this year against the Cardinals. He
allowed 10 runs over 16 innings in his first three outings, but he
was in control most of Thursday's game, teaming a 95 mph fastball
with a diving changeup that he used for multiple strikeouts.
A former All-Star with Cincinnati who struggled with control issues
most of his career, Volquez has allowed only three runs in his past
30 innings.
"He's always had the skill set, but he's had trouble throwing
strikes," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "He was hitting a
lot of barrels earlier in the year, but he's stuck with the process.
You saw him get more comfortable as the night went on."
It helped that the Pirates (48-44), who pulled within 3 1/2 games of
slumping Milwaukee in the National League Central, blew it open with
three runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth.
Left fielder Josh Harrison, center fielder Andrew McCutchen, second
baseman Neil Walker and catcher Russell Martin each knocked in two
runs as Pittsburgh collected 10 hits off three St. Louis pitchers.
Martin opened the scoring in the first with his 500th career RBI on
a single, then homered in the ninth for the final run. Walker belted
a two-run double to cap the fifth, and Harrison lofted a two-run,
ground-rule double in the sixth for a 6-1 lead that essentially
ended the game's competitive phase.
"If you don't get those clutch two-out hits on the road, you're
probably not going to win," Walker said. "The difference was
tonight, we got those."
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Aside from a sacrifice fly by third baseman Matt Carpenter in the
third inning, the Cardinals (50-43) got nothing. Starter Shelby
Miller (7-8) lost for the sixth time in seven decisions, allowing
five hits and four runs in five innings with four walks and a
strikeout.
Miller issued two walks in the fifth ahead of McCutchen's two-out
RBI hit that snapped a 1-1 tie. Walker followed with a double that
went just over the outstretched glove of right fielder Oscar
Taveras.
"I felt like I was on a good roll, but I made a couple of mistakes
in the fifth inning that cost us," said Miller, who has issued 54
walks in 109 innings. "I'm walking guys and getting into deep pitch
counts. I'm not making good pitches when it matters."
Unlike Volquez, who gave the Pirates bullpen a much-needed night off
ahead of a key three-game series in Cincinnati.
"We lost the first three games (against the Cardinals) and it was
important that we win tonight," Volquez said. "I was able to control
my pitches. From the first inning, I was pitching like it was a 1-0
game. I never lost my focus."
NOTES: St. Louis called up C Audry Perez from Triple-A Memphis to
serve as a backup to Tony Cruz while All-Star C Yadier Molina is
sidelined. Perez hit .288 with two homers and 21 RBIs in 44 games at
Memphis, throwing out 29 percent of base-stealers. ... Pittsburgh
recalled OF Jaff Decker from Triple-A, optioning RHP Brandon Cumpton
to Indianapolis. Decker was hitting .266 with four home runs and 29
RBIs in 71 games for Indianapolis. He is in his second major league
stint this year. ... Despite Thursday's defeat, the Cardinals handed
Pittsburgh its first road series loss since May. The Pirates had won
five consecutive road series, their best streak of success away from
home in 32 years.
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