Recap: Pittsburgh vs. St. Louis
Sports Network | September 14, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Nate McLouth went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and finished with two runs driven in and three scored, as the Pittsburgh Pirates completed their first three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals since August 11-13 of 2006 with a 7-2 victory.
Adam LaRoche went 2-for-4 with three RBI and scored once for the Pirates, who have pulled off the sweep on the heels of a six-game skid. Brandon Moss also finished with two RBI in the win. Starter Jason Davis lasted just three innings and was touched for a run on three hits in the no-decision. T.J. Beam (2-1) took the win after hurling three innings of one-run ball.
Skip Schumaker and Aaron Miles both drove in a run for the Cardinals, who have let five straight games slip away. Brad Thompson (5-3) took the loss after surrendering six runs on nine hits over 3 2/3 innings of work.
Pittsburgh broke the scoreless tie in the first inning. Freddy Sanchez led off with a single and Luis Cruz was plunked before McLouth lined an RBI single to left field. LaRoche and Moss followed with back-to-back RBI singles, and the Bucs held a 3-0 lead.
The Pirates put up another three-spot in the second inning. Cruz stroked a two-out double to right field, McLouth walked and LaRoche belted a two-run double to right. Moss closed out the scoring with an RBI single to left, making it 6-0.
The Cardinals got on the board in the third stanza. Thompson led off with a walk and stole second base. Brendan Ryan's groundout moved the runner to third and Schumaker's RBI single made it 6-1.
Miles' RBI single off Beam in the fourth made it a four-run game, but McLouth smacked a solo homer off Randy Flores in the home half to make it difference at 7-2.
Pittsburgh earned its first sweep since taking all three meetings against Houston from July 21-23...Pittsburgh has won 10 of 17 matchups in the series this season.
