Cardinals push across run in 11th to beat Pirates

[April 02, 2019]    Paul DeJong scored on a two-out, bases-loaded passed ball in the top of the 11th inning Monday as the St. Louis Cardinals spoiled the Pittsburgh Pirates' home opener, 6-5.

The Cardinals loaded the bases against Steven Brault (0-1) before a Nick Kingham pitch got away from catcher Francisco Cervelli with Yairo Munoz at bat.

St. Louis erased a four-run deficit before Colin Moran's solo homer in the eighth gave Pittsburgh a 5-4 lead.

In the top of the ninth, Cardinals pinch-hitter Jose Martinez hit a one-out RBI double for a 5-5 tie.

Kolten Wong hit a two-run homer and Tyler O'Neill hit an RBI single for the Cardinals. Jordan Hicks (1-1) pitched two innings, and John Gant pitched a scoreless 11th for his first save.

St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright gave up four hits, four runs and four walks in four innings, with three strikeouts.

Moran also had a two-run double, and Josh Bell had two RBIs for Pittsburgh.

Pirates right-hander Chris Archer struck out eight over five scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and three walks.

In the first, Wainwright walked the first two batters. Bell hit a one-out grounder to drive in a run. Moran's double to right made it 3-0.

Pittsburgh made it 4-0 in the third. Starling Marte led off with a single, went to third on Corey Dickerson's double and scored on Bell's sacrifice fly.

Wong cut the deficit in half, 4-2, in the seventh with a shot to right off Richard Rodriguez. Following Harrison Bader's infield hit, O'Neill reached on Moran's error at third, chasing Rodriguez. Francisco Liriano walked Matt Carpenter to load the bases.

Reliever Keone Kela entered and walked Paul Goldschmidt to bring in a run, making it 4-3.

In the eighth against Nick Burdi, O'Neill tied it at 4 with a two-out single to left to bring home Munoz, who led off the inning with an infield hit and advanced on a wild pitch.

Home plate umpire Jerry Layne left in the bottom of the seventh after taking a foul tip off his mask. Vic Carapazza replaced him. Carapazza ejected Carpenter in the 11th for arguing a third strike.

--Field Level Media

[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.