Field Level Media
Apr 28, 2018
Francisco Cervelli hit a solo homer and drove in another run Saturday to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 for their fourth win in a row.
Pittsburgh starter Trevor Williams (4-1) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, with two walks and two strikeouts. In five of his six starts, he has gone exactly six innings.
Pirates relievers Michael Feliz, George Kontos and Edgar Santana each pitched a scoreless inning.
It was Clint Hurdle's 600th win as Pirates manager.
The Cardinals managed just five hits.
St. Louis starter Jack Flaherty (0-1) allowed three runs and four hits in five-plus innings, with four walks and two strikeouts. He was making his second spot start of the season for injured starter Adam Wainwright.
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the second on Francisco Cervelli's fourth homer, a two-out, 2-0 count shot to left.
The Cardinals tied it in the third when Paul DeJong walked, was bunted to second by Kolten Wong and scored on Tommy Pham's double off the wall.
In the sixth, Jose Martinez hit a one-out double down the right field line and scored on Marcell Ozuna's single to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.
Pittsburgh took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning. Flaherty's night ended after he walked Adam Frazier and Gregory Polanco to start the inning.
Against Dominic Leone, Starling Marte hit into a fielder's choice, leaving runners at the corners. Josh Bell's single up the middle brought Frazier home for a 2-2 tie. Corey Dickerson was intentionally walked before Cervelli gave Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead with a sacrifice fly.
The Pirates, against three St. Louis pitchers, got two more runs in the seventh, on David Freese's sacrifice fly after catcher Yadier Molina's passed ball allowed two runners to advance, and on Dickerson's bases-loaded RBI infield single.
Colin Moran walked and later scored Pittsburgh's sixth run in the eighth when Jose Martinez made a fielding error.
--Field Level Media