Pirates sink against Cardinals 7-6

Another one got away from the Pirates this afternoon.

Colin Moran’s two homers and a late no-doubter from Bryan Reynolds weren’t enough for the Bucs, who suffered yet another series sweep as they fell to the Cardinals 7-6 at PNC Park.

The Cards went up early in the first inning, as Dylan Carlson singled, then stole second as the Bucs infield did, oh, NOTHING to stop it. That put him in prime scoring position for Nolan Arenado’s double. The Bucs, however, answered back in their half of the inning. Ke’Bryan Hayes doubled, Jacob Stallings walked, and Redbeard smacked one deep into the right field stands to give the Bucs a 3-1 lead. Sadly, this was the first time the Pirates had scored in the first inning all month.

We all know, though, that Brubaker’s personal cross to bear is the fourth inning, and sure enough that cursed 34 came into play as he gave up dingers to Paul DeJong and Lars Nootbaar, both with a man on base, to make it 5-3 Cardinals. Redbeard struck again with another long ball in the bottom of the fourth to bring the Bucs to within one. If you heard a small scream coming from the South Hills in the sixth inning, it was because Duane Underwood Jr. came in to relieve Brubaker, and, well, being Underwood, he gave up another run, this time courtesy of an Andrew Knizner groundout that scored Harrison Bader, who’d advanced on a (very bad) fielder’s choice by Underwood.

David Bednar came in to pitch the eighth inning, and it was a ten-pitch three-K beauty. It was so good that Derek Shelton kept him in for the ninth ... where he gave up two doubles to Jose Rondon and Paul Goldschmidt for another Cards run. In the bottom of the ninth, Gregory Polanco reached on a Tommy Edman error, then Reynolds, who didn’t start today, said “even when you don’t start me, I’m still awesome” and hit one into right even further than Moran to get the Bucs back to a one-run deficit. Unfortunately, pinch-hitter Michael Perez and Hayes struck out to end the game and any hope of a comeback.

The Brewers arrive tomorrow for a three-game weekend series. I’m going to Saturday’s game. Be good, Buccos.