PITTSBURGH — The Cardinals had to wait until the 10th inning on Thursday to get their first hits with a runner in scoring position, but they could not have come at a better time.
Pedro Pages drove in the automatic runner with a double, then scored on a two-out single by Alec Burleson and the Cardinals needed both runs to edge the Pirates and win the three-game series in Pittsburgh.
The Cardinals had been hitless in eight at-bats with a man on second or third through the ninth inning, leaving four runners on those two bases.
The Pirates got one of the runs back in the bottom of the 10th when their automatic runner scored from second base on a sacrifice fly after Brendan Donovan took too long to throw the ball back to the infield. They had the potential tying run on second base when John King recorded the final out.
It was the second 10-inning game in a row for the Cardinals, who once again were without closer Ryan Helsley.
Here is how Thursday’s game broke down:
At the plate: Dylan Carlson’s two out double in the second inning drove in the only run for the Cardinals until the 10th … They hit into three double plays, two off the bat of Willson Contreras, and failed to capitalize on scoring chances in the sixth, leaving a runner on third base, and in the ninth, when they left runners on second and third … In the 10th, a groundout by Jose Fermin moved the automatic runner, Michael Siani, to third, where he scored on the double by Pages. After Masyn Winn struck out, Burleson’s single drove in Pages with what proved to be the winning run.
On the mound: With the Cardinals once again working with a short bullpen, Andre Pallante pitched seven innings, allowing only four hits. One of the hits was a home run by Bryan Reynolds that tied the game in the fourth. Pallante threw 90 pitches, walked one and struck out five … Andrew Kittredge needed 32 pitches to complete a scoreless eighth, pitching around a hit and a walk with three strikeouts … John King earned the victory by working the final two innings, allowing two hits and the one run.
Key stat: Nolan Arenado was credited with an infield single in the ninth, his only hit in 11 at-bats in the series. Over his last 13 games he is 11-of-49, a .224 average, and his only RBIs came on a two-run homer on June 27 against the Reds.
Worth noting: The Cardinals won two of the games in the series despite going 8-of-32 with a runner in scoring position … Tommy Edman, who has yet to play in a game this season while recovering from wrist surgery last October, reported to Springfield on Thursday and will take batting practice and work in the field before the game for a couple of days to see if he is ready to begin a rehab assignment.
Looking ahead: The road trip continues on Friday night with the first of four games against the Nationals in Washington, D.C. Sonny Gray is the scheduled starter.
