Sunday’s Game Report: Pirates 5, Cardinals 4
By Rob Rains
The Cardinals lost another player to the injured list on Sunday, then lost another game to the Pirates.
JJ Wetherholt was the latest injury victim, becoming the seventh player sidelined because of an injury in the last 12 days.
In the game, the Cardinals’ comeback attempt from an early 4-0 deficit fell short in the final game of their series against the Pirates at Busch Stadium.
They pulled within 5-4 with two runs in the seventh and had the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second with one out but left both runners on base. They also got a leadoff single in the eighth but could not advance the runner.
One highlight for the Cardinals was Alec Burleson reaching 100 RBIs for the season with a single in the fifth inning.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: After the top three hitters in the Cardinals lineup were a combined 0-of-22 in the first two games of the series, they had better results on Sunday. Bryan Torres, hitting leadoff, had two hits, walked and delivered a sacrifice fly. Ivan Herrera drove in two runs with a single and double and Burleson also walked in addition to his RBI single … Thomas Saggese, getting the start at shortstop, had a three-hit day and scored twice … The Cardinals were 2-of-9 with a runner in scoring position and were just 3-of-22 in the series.
On the mound: Matthew Liberatore allowed a pair of home runs as the Pirates built their 4-0 lead after five innings. Liberatore lost his fifth consecutive start and fell to 1-8 with one no-decision since July 1 … The Pirates scored what proved to be the winning run with two outs in the seventh off Luis Gastelum.
Key stat: Burleson finished the month with 29 RBI in August, the most of any month in his career. He is only the second Cardinal to reach 100 RBI before Sept. 1 since Albert Pujols had 110 at that point in 2009. Paul Goldschmidt had 105 RBIs at the end of August in 2022.
Worth noting: The Cardinals finished August with a 14-14 record … Wetherholt is dealing with tendinitis in his right wrist. He was replaced on the roster by Cesar Prieto, recalled from Memphis … The Cardinals have made 10 roster moves in the last 10 days … Their streak of hitting at least one home run was snapped at 12 games … Rainiel Rodriguez hit his 24th home run of the season on Sunday, his 20th for Double A Springfield … Springfield’s win on Sunday clinched a spot in the Texas League playoffs. Memphis already had qualified for the International League playoffs.
Up next: The Cardinals have the day off on Monday, then will begin another three-city trip on Tuesday night with the first of three games against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The Cardinals have not announced their starting pitchers for the series. They will then play three games in Colorado and three in San Francisco.
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