I By Peyton Wesner
Seven earned runs in two innings pitched in Game One of the 2013 NLDS. That was how A.J. Burnett performed in his last game at Busch Stadium as member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tonight he got his revenge...or so he thought when he exited the game after six innings.
Both ball clubs were coming into tonight's game off very convincing victories. The Pittsburgh Pirates finally were able to string together more than two runs in nine innings as they obliterated the Cubs by the score of eight to one. Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen collected his 1,000 career hit in the game with a two for five, two RBI performance, but rookie infielder Jung Ho Kang was actually the one to steal the show with a three for four, two RBI outing that raised his batting average to .269. While the Bucs bats finally began to find the ball, the Cardinals posted nine runs to take three out of four with the Phillies. St. Louis first basemen Matt Adams supplied the big blow with a two-run bomb in third inning that helped break a three all tie to supply the Redbirds with a lead they would never relinquish.
With the squads entering Friday with big offensive outbursts, one would have thought that starting pitchers A.J. Burnett and Lance Lynn were in for a long game. That was not the case.
Cardinals' starter Lance Lynn flew through the first three innings by allowing no runners to reach base and striking out four while his counterpart A.J. Burnett did his best to match the one-time All-Star by facing only one over the minimum through one-third of the game. The second time through the order was when each team started to reach base.
To start off the fourth inning, Pittsburgh leadoff man Gregory Polanco ended Lynn's no-hit bid with a single. Unfortunately, a 4-6-3 double play grounded into by Josh Harrison ended the threat for the inning. For St. Louis in the bottom half, shortstop Jhonny Peralta had an opportunity to bring home the first run of the evening with Matt Carpenter on third, but he struck out swinging on an 82 miles per hour curveball from Burnett.
Would anyone score?
Yes! In the top of the sixth inning, after a Jordy Mercer double to advance runners to second and third, A.J. Burnett...YES A.J. BURNETT...singled to plate the first run of the game. Then, Gregory Polanco, who was one for two going into the AB, worked his way out of a 1-2 situation into a 3-2 count that resulted in a walk to load the bases for Josh Harrison. Who would keep their cool under pressure?
The first pitch of the showdown was a swinging strike and the following was fouled off by the 2014 All-Star. "J-Hay" then fouled off five pitches and took three balls to force the count to 3-2. What pitch would Lynn go with? The fastball of course and Harrison was late on the offering resulting in a high fly ball that didn't get out of the infield for out number one.
The first out in the inning presented the light at the end of the tunnel for the right-hander as he then reared back to strike out 2013 National League Most Valuable Player Andrew McCutchen for out number two. But the last out would be the challenge since Neil Walker was a .370 hitter with two home runs and fifty-four runs batted in with the bases loaded for his career. Lynn accepted the challenge and struck out "The Pittsburgh Kid" looking for his tenth strikeout of the game and to keep the score at 1-0 Pittsburgh.
Burnett finally had his run support, and he did not waiver in the bottom of the sixth as he struck out Holliday and induced Matt Adams into a 4-6-3 double play. The night was over for the veteran, but the Cardinals were not down and out.
The following inning St. Louis got the party started with a Peralta single on the first pitch from Arquimedes Caminero, who relieved Burnett on the mound. Jason Hayward was next in the lineup and he drew an eight-pitch walk to make the scenario runners on first and second with no outs. The next play was when things became crazy.
Yadier Molina was the batter and he lined a 100 miles per hour fast ball towards Pittsburgh's shortstop Jordy Mercer. Mercer caught the drive and threw it to his double-play partner Neil Walker for an apparent double play. St. Louis manager Mike Matheny was skeptical about the call and he challenged the play. The replay showed that Jhonny Peralta's toe on his left foot was on the base prior to Walker catching the ball, therefore the call was reversed and the Cardinals were still in business. Kolten Wong though, who supplied many clutch hits during his rookie season, was unable to put the ball in play with one out as went down swinging, but Peralta and Heyward stole third and second base respectively, which put two runners in scoring position for pinch-hitter Mark Reynolds. After Reynolds was announced as due up, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle put the pitching duties in the hands of Jared Hughes.
The first two pitches were sinkers that were ultimately fouled off by Reynolds, but with the count 0-2, Hughes decided to throw a slider. Reynolds made weak contact with the ball, but he put it in the right location and the ball fell between Walker and Mercer in the infield, which allowed Peralta to score and tie the game. Burnett's great performance was erased to go along with Pittsburgh's advantage. The inning was not over yet though! Tony Watson entered the game for Hughes while Sean Rodriguez took over at first base for slugger Pedro Alvarez. Watson was set to face the lead-off man for St. Louis, Jon Jay, and the former University of Miami centerfield hit a dribbler to Rodriguez. It was a routine play, until he bobbled the ball. Jay raced down the baseline and dove towards first base while Rodriguez lunged at Jay. Safe or Out?! Jay was out keeping the score knotted at one.
In the top of the eighth, Rodriguez was involved in another close play. The super utility player singled down the right field line, but rather than stop at first base, he decided to try for two. WRONG MOVE! Jason Heyward has a CANNON! And he showcased it by throwing out Rodriguez to ignite the crowd.
Two innings later in the top of the tenth, the Bucs were on the attack again. This time runners on the corners and two outs for former top prospect Gregory Polanco. St. Louis manager Mike Matheny decided to change pitchers prior to Polanco's at-bat as he wanted the "lefty-lefty" matchup. Why? Polanco's career statistics versus left handed pitchers was .174 batting average with two home runs and eleven runs batted in. The first two pitches from the Cardinals left hander, Randy Choate, were outside for balls causing groans to surface from the St. Louis faithful. But three straight strikes including a third one swinging sat down Pittsburgh's right fielder while sending the game to the bottom of the tenth.
The half inning started smoothly for Pirates' reliever Rob Scahill as he made Kolten Wong and Peter Bourjos ground out to the left side of the infield. It seemed like the eleventh was imminent, but Jon Jay had other plans and he took an eighty-six miles per hour change-up to left field. But that is only one runner and he is 270 feet from scoring, no biggy, right? With Matt "Clutch" Carpenter it is as he roped a 1-2 pitch down the right field line. Jay raced around second as the game-winning run and turned third with, what looked to be, an intention of going home, yet third base coach Jose Oquendo held the speedster at third with two outs. Next up was the dangerous Matt Holliday, and "Cardinals' Nation" was looking for a walk-off victory. Holliday stepped into the batter's box 0-4 and he ended the night 0-4 for the reason of Scahill intentionally walking Holliday to create a force-out at every base.
Matt Adams...Rob Scahill...with the game on the line. The first pitch to "Big City" was a curve taken for ball one. The following was a slider that was taken looking for strike one. Just don't throw Adams the fastball...and what did Scahill throw? The heater. Smack! Game! 2-1 Cardinals on a Matt Adams walk-off single!
Pittsburgh 1
St. Louis 2
W-1-0 Randy Choate
L-0-2 Rob Scahill
Scoring Plays:
Top of the Sixth:
-A.J. Burnett single scores Francisco Cervilli from third
---Pittsburgh 1, St. Louis 0
Bottom of the Seventh:
-Mark Reynolds infield single scores Jhonny Peralta from third.
---Pittsburgh 1, St. Louis 1
Bottom of the Tenth:
-Matt Adams walk-off single scores Jon Jay from third.
---Pittsburgh 1, St. Louis 2
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