Cards hold off Pirates in extras, win series
Pedro Pages ripped a go-ahead RBI double in the top of the 10th inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals held on to beat the host Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Thursday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Pages connected against Pittsburgh reliever Dennis Santana (2-1) to drive in automatic runner Michael Siani. With two outs, Alec Burleson provided St. Louis with some vital insurance, sending a single to left to plate Pages.
Michael A. Taylor started the home half of the 10th at second and scored on Nick Gonzales' deep fly ball to left-center. Brendan Donovan made the catch, but by taking what seemed to be a sigh of relief, he failed to quickly get the ball back into the infield. That allowed Taylor to score all the way from second, pulling Pittsburgh within 3-2.
However, the Pirates never scraped across the tying run, with John King (3-1) completing his second inning of relief for the win.
Burleson and Dylan Carlson each finished with two hits for the Cardinals, who have won three of their past four games.
Bryan Reynolds went deep as Pittsburgh fell for the fourth time in six games.
Donovan reached on an error with two outs in the second before scoring on Carlson's double to put St. Louis up 1-0.
Pittsburgh drew even when Reynolds opened the home half of the fourth with his 14th homer of the season.
The Cardinals had a golden opportunity to move back in front in the sixth, but they came up empty.
Masyn Winn led off with a single and advanced to third on Burleson's base hit. Willson Contreras then grounded into a double play while Winn stayed put at third, and Paul Goldschmidt struck out to end the frame.
Double plays also hampered St. Louis in the first and fifth.
Both starters had to settle for no-decisions despite stellar outings.
Pirates left-hander Martin Perez lasted 7 1/3 innings, giving up one unearned run and six hits while walking one and striking out two. Right-hander Andre Pallante allowed one run on four hits in seven innings for the Cardinals. He walked one and fanned five.
