The Champagne had to wait, but not for long. Gerrit Cole delayed the St. Louis Cardinals’ celebration until nightfall. Charlie Morton could not further postpone it.
The Pirates, guaranteed at least 96 victories, have had a magnificent season. They are in the playoffs. But because they share a division with the Cardinals, their fate again rests on one game.
“Plan A’s off the board,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “Our next objective is to show up and win Friday night.”
The Cardinals took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jason Heyward’s grand slam extended it to 6-0 in the third. After 18 innings of baseball and an 11-1 loss in Game 2 Wednesday at PNC Park, the Pirates’ spot in the Oct. 7 wild-card game was secure. The Cardinals (100-59) clinched the NL Central and the corresponding berth in the National League Division Series for the third consecutive year. The Pirates (96-63) will appear in the wild-card game for the third consecutive year, this time against the Chicago Cubs.
“What’s today’s date? September 30th? We’ve got 100 wins,” Heyward said. “That’s how much we were pushed by them.”
“You got to man up and just be like, ‘They played better,’ ” Andrew McCutchen said. “They had 100 wins, we had 96. That’s why they won.”
The Pirates can guarantee the wild-card game will take place in PNC Park for a third consecutive year by winning at least two games against the Cincinnati Reds in their final regular-season series this weekend. If the Pirates and Cubs, who are 93-65, finish tied, the game moves to Wrigley Field because the Cubs won the season series.
Morton (9-9) allowed three extra-base hits to the 12 batters he faced. He hit Jon Jay twice. Pitching coach Ray Searage visited the mound before Morton had completed the top of the first and the bullpen stirred simultaneously.
Matt Carpenter tripled and doubled in two at-bats against Morton. Carpenter scored both times. A hit batter and a walk loaded the bases in the third. There were no outs. Hurdle had seen enough.
“Folks showed up tonight, everybody’s excited, and I go out there and I give it up,” Morton said. “It’s just heartbreaking.”
Hurdle turned to left-hander Bobby LaFromboise with lefties Heyward and Matt Adams due up. LaFromboise hung a slider. Heyward put it in the seats in right-center field, and the Pirates trailed 6-0.
That deficit was insurmountable against Tyler Lyons, who pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed four hits and no walks, and struck out five. He faced the minimum through six. Forced into the rotation from the bullpen because of an injury to Carlos Martinez, Lyons (3-1) dominated in the clincher.
The opportunity to storm back and capture the division, however slim, remained after the first game of the doubleheader, required because rain Tuesday postponed the game. Francisco Cervelli hit a grand slam, Neil Walker homered and Gregory Polanco went 2 for 4 with two RBIs as the Pirates beat the Cardinals, 8-2.
Cole (19-8) pitched seven innings and allowed two runs. He did not walk a batter.
“I got run support,” Cole said.
“The grand slam was huge. Allowed us to keep attacking the zone after I scuffled a little bit in the fourth.”
Monday, the Cardinals intentionally walked Pedro Alvarez to load the bases with one out in the second. He was batting seventh, with Jordy Mercer up next. Mercer flied into an inning-ending double play.
Wednesday, the Cardinals intentionally walked Alvarez to load the bases with one out in the fifth. He was batting sixth, with Cervelli up next. Cervelli hit the second grand slam of his career and reappeared on the dugout steps for a curtain call.
Click the image above to explore our 2015 season tracker and check out how the Pirates have fared so far, game by game. (Post-Gazette)
First Published: September 30, 2015, 8:29 p.m.
Updated: October 1, 2015, 3:31 a.m.
