Pirates rally to beat Cardinals
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Not today.
With the specter of an 82nd loss that would have clinched a 17th consecutive losing season, the Pirates instead rallied twice -- including Garrett Jones' winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth -- to beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-5, this afternoon at PNC Park.
The Pirates ended another streak, too, the one in which they had lost nine in a row.
Rick Ankiel's pinch-hit home run in the ninth -- he blistered Jesse Chavez's 2-1 fastball into the seats beyond center field -- broke a 4-4 tie.
But the Pirates rallied off St. Louis closer Ryan Franklin in the bottom half: Jason Jaramillo opened with a single and, after he was forced out on a poor bunt by Andy LaRoche, Andrew McCutchen singled, and pinch-hitter Ryan Doumit did likewise to bring a 5-5 tie.
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa lifted Franklin for the left-hander Trevor Miller to face Jones, but the "Legend" ripped a 2-0 changeup into the North Side Notch to win it.
When it ended, Doumit ran toward Jones and lifted the Pirates' outstanding rookie onto his right shoulder.
The Pirates also rallied for three runs in the sixth to make it 4-4, including Ronny Cedeno's two-run single and Jaramillo's follow-up shot.
Paul Maholm was charged with four runs and six hits over six innings, striking out seven. Joel Hanrahan followed with two scoreless innings of relief.
The event was lowlighted by one comical episode in the St. Louis first: With Julio Lugo at third and Albert Pujols at the plate just having taken a ball, the catcher Jaramillo tossed the ball well over Maholm's head into the infield grass. Lugo sprinted home.
Among the highlights: Neil Walker got his first major league hit, a single to right in the eighth.
First Published September 6, 2009 4:41 pm
