Final: Pirates 6, Cardinals 5, 14 innings

Only once before has YOUR Pittsburgh Baseball Club entered the All-Star break with a sub-3.00 ERA. That year was 1968, when the team had a 2.63 mark.

Pirates Lineup

1. Gregory Polanco (L) RF
2. Neil Walker (S) 2B
3. Andrew McCutchen (R) CF
4. Starling Marte (R) LF
5. Jung Ho Kang (R) 3B
6. Pedro Alvarez (L) 1B
7. Francisco Cervelli (R) C
8. Jordy Mercer (R) SS
9. A.J. Burnett (R) P

Good to see the Varsity lineup again.

Welcome back Starling! He over Ishikava plus Cervelli, at least on paper much stronger lineup.

lets go bucs

Matt Holliday won't be back this weekend

Wow. Never noticed Marte's build until that pic above. He looks like he could be a running back in the NFL.

Can we please not bring back Scahill. I don't care what happens so long as he doesn't come back.

Was Marte's injury a strained oblique? If so, I wouldnt put him out there until its completely healed.

These are the two biggest games of the first half for the Pirates. A sweep this weekend, and the momentum that would take into the 2nd half would be huge. If they get swept, it's going to be a very hard climb to win the division. And they NEED the division if they want to get to the World Series. It's time to stop being satisfied with just squeaking in as a wild card. They are now good enough to WIN the WS.

Excited to make it to PNC for the first time this year. Let's go bucs.

Glad to have Marte back; I would have thought they would rest him thru the All Star break

Need to press the struggling Cards and get these last two.

Over the last 14 days they have ONE player with a WRC+ over 100 - Heyward at 112.

Bucs have FIVE - Led by Walker [210] Cutch [190], Marte [151], Mercer [120] then Polanco [102]

Cole is first NL pitcher to 13 wins before the break since 2010. Wainwright was 13-5 and ubaldo jimenez was 15-1. Pirates have only scored more than 5 runs in 12 of Cole's 41 starts but he always finds a way

Did J-Hay say he was going to continue to slide headfirst into bases? Someone should talk to him about that, since Dee Gordon had the same thing happened to him today.

Well, hope Martes injury doesn't turn into Van Slykes.

Cannot believe this. The Fox station in my area in Central Pa is showing the Yankees and Red Sox....crap!

Kang Show!!

Kang is handling third base very well.

We got the game blacked out in Harrisburg. Th Fox affiliate has Orioles and Nationals. An extra good job of blogging would be appreciated.

Jason Grilli goes down. They're saying Achilles. Carted off. Wish the best

What is it with these non-foul ball calls against A.J.?!

They did it to him again! Holy cow

Speechless.

that's just wrong...

Wow!

protest this game...

Unbelievable

Again. This keeps happening. These guys are horrible every game.

Why last night they looked at replay on the Molina but couldn't look at replay for foul ball?

What? What's going on?

I guess Yadi is the ONLY catcher in baseball entitled to get up in the ump's face.

What a revolting development.

If your a good ump your interest is to get it right and why not review the call.

No words to describe that

Sell out crowd again, the umpires steal the show. Nobody come to see you jagoffs

Carapazza is the son-in-law of Rich Garcia. He didn't even earn his job. #nepotism

Players continue to go down like flies: Dee Gordon dislocates thumb, Grilli injures leg covering first...

Stuff like this happens. Always has. Umpires screw up and many times are terrible at their job. So what. Pirates need to show some heart and heat here and go stick it to these morons and blow these guys out of the water.

The ump is an even bigger a-hole for tossing them. He blew it and he should own up and take that onslaught

These umpires are horrible and thin skinned...I can't blame Hurdle or Cervelli for losing it.

AA umping

I'm just about ready to go "REALLY LUNATIC" with MLB umpiring.

nice screen grab Dejan...boom

What a completely absurd sequence of events with that blown call. Just awful.

And Lackey looks unhurt able tonight.

Somebody should premiere a half hour TV show each night called Blown Calls of the
Day. Should be plenty of material for a daily broadcast.

Kudos to AJ for not coming unglued

His curve has been wicked this season, DK. I think AJ not trying to throw 97 mph has improved all of his pitches.

Yes, ump blew a call but three other umpires were standing there and no one saw the correct call, friggin ridiculous

Pirates still need to hit and they still need to do there job. It's only 1 freaking run. Show up and play harder now.

What would happen if Reynolds turns to the ump neat time up and says "i totally missed that ball"?

Somebody get a hold of things. Down one run and being shown to "somewhat of a national audience". Time to open a can of whoop*** and play your game Bucs.

Is it me or was Wong on top of the plate? His toes were hanging over the line of the batter's box.

Hahaha! Peralta's swing looked exactly the same as Reynolds

Ump blew a call. Earth started on its axis. Fabulous!

Way to limit the damage AJ. That could have been much worse.

Gets him the next time. Professional

The ball clearly (confirmed by replay) hit the ground before it hit Heyward on the foot, another blown call by the home plate ump

is Jerry meals on this crew?

My self-proclaimed "Varsity Lineup" needs to show up now and get back in the game.

Little focus here, Gregory.

Think laser.

Nice job Neil...uggghhhh

Looks like Achilles for Grilli

To quote Maxwell Smart, "Missed it by this much."

Come on Buccos...get it together...

Welcome back Starling Marte!! Nice job of going OPO for the double...

There we go!!!

Too bad Cervelli got tossed...he has great career numbers vs Lackey.

Would rather have Kang hitting ...

Achilles rupture for Grilli. What a shame

I've seen this fish before...

Too bad Kang got hit.

Game eerily similar to Thursday's game...

Wong the Pirate killer...

Cards always seem to find a way to hit a sac fly in these situations

69th pitch results in a fly out

This could be game right here...

PATHETIC!!!

Cardinals did everything right again

Game over...can't make mistakes vs Cards....PERIOD.

Just stand at first Pedro! Please!

Outfundamentaled again.

That's funny the ball didn't even hit Pedro's glove

Butchering this game with a little help from the ump.

No angle to overturn

Pedro the Pirate Killer ... 2 outs this inning he boned!

Why bother with review. No chance this is overturned.

Didn't Pedro at least CATCH the ball as a 3B? Now, he can't catch OR throw.

PLEASE JUST CUT PEDRO. Anybody would be better than him. I don't care that he shows flashes from time to time. Just cut him.

Hahaha Molina

Maybe buzzing Molina will wake things up

Double play great, but doesn't matter...game over.

And that 10 minute span is why the Cardinals are a better team. Pedro cannot deliver a big hit, Pirates cant execute a rundown, Cardinals are smart on the basepaths not Pirate dumb, Cardinals take advantage of every situation given them.

Despite his two big games last week and giving everybody false hope..............PEDRO STILL STINKS

Pirates: Average team with decent pitching. Beats the weak teams struggles against good teams.

I think AJ sent the Cards and the Umps a message :-)

Good for him!

Now this frustrating offense needs to do something too

Kevin Young looks in great shape. Suit him up.

Just seems like Bucs constantly playing from behind in trying to make up ground. Certainly didn't want to playing tomorrow for a split.

This is the 9th series this year vs Cards, Cubs and Reds and Pirates have only one series win to date.

So Morosi says that the Pirates may be interested in acquiring Francouer...

Seriously, Pedro's bat just doesn't seem to be a reasonable trade-off for his terrible defense.

Burnett LOL!

Way to go, Batman!!!

AJ , wow

Aj! Yard!

Called taking matters into own hands.

BATMAN!!!!!!!! THAT BETTER FIRE US UP!

AJ!!!

Burnett schools!

4 ROWS DEEP IN A DEEP LEFT FEILD!!!

Enough with the solo home runs!

(I kid, of course). :)

Just get Cutch up.

AJ SPARKS A RALLY?

Someone should tell AJ that one home run isn't going to get him into the Home Run Derby.... He should try to get another in his next at bat.

A.J. buzzes Molina, then hits a home run. Fantastic, just fantastic.

Pirates experiment with Pedro has to end. Just not enough offense to justify his poor play. Is James Loney available. Not sure if it is NH or Hurdle who is pushing that nonsense but is has to end. Pirates have to make a trade.

Time for Earl Weaver's favorite baseball play!

There is a god and he has a sense of humor

Shame that AJ had to miss last year here

Nice job Cutch...

WOW ... HOW DO YOU NOT SWING AT THAT?

Swear to God, spooky it is, but , I came back in, looked at the tube, 2 outs, pitcher at bat, ok we start the next top of the order. Looked at AJ in the box and said to myself "he is gonna jack one".
Ya sure he is. Voila!

I understand the bad calls, guys. But the crying needs to stop. There's another team in the city that can tell you all about it.

Sorry Cutch - to close to take

Be the MAN

Gotta swing the bat. We still comeback and win though.

Anyone have PITCHf/x for that?

I heard someone today day that Cutch is very much not CLUTCH. We need someone to carry the team at the most clutch times. That is NOT Cutch. In fact, in the clutch he fails quite a bit.

IKE DAVIS??? .... Be real .255 3 HR

NH will not do a trade as he will give 10 reasons why it was not in the best interests to give up a top prospect or the asking price is just to high. Thus pedro will butcher 1st and bat 240 and stink against LH pitching.

Logan Morrison .230 hitter?12 HR?

Anna, what # is trending for the game tonight ? Or other social media to check out while the game is happing?

Byrd was clutch when he was here. I'd love to see him back.

Marte Kang and Pedro ... can we get a run?

.@Dejan_Kovacevic, are you kidding me?! Second time in < a week #34 gets jobbed by #MLB umpires. #bucn pic.twitter.com/2jBie5BgDK

— Greg Gebhardt (@gregorygebhardt) July 11, 2015

We CAN do this!

Who's with me?

hey folks..game is 3-1...

pedto doesnt cry when balls are called strike three...just saying

John Smoltz in the last 2 minutes has said Puig for Hamels trade is fair for both teams, and that Aj Burnett should give Lackey a HR chance

@DK, I may have missed it, but any chance the Pirates put in for a protest on this game due to that blown call in the 2nd? Just wandering. I know you have to do it at the time of the argument.

If there's ever a time for a HR, this it it.

Nice to see Marte on base twice tonight....

The Gillette Home Run Derbyshire presented by Head and Shlouders, eh? I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

Were making Lackey look like Drysdale. Coming into the game the league was hitting .260 against him. El Bummo 4 for his last 30. No surprises there.

Man I get it. The ump thinks the game is about him. Makes a horrendous call. Tosses our coaches and catcher.... cause its all about him. But in a pivotal game... the Pirates needed to save the drama and play ball. Just stoopid. Let it go and play. But here we are. No bats. only hit is AJ.... a homer. Ughhhhhhhh. Pirates bats.... fannin a breeze.

Pirates will be 0-2 with these reviews...Cards beat them again...

Keeps tag on and he's out.

Cards keep glove on.

Honestly surprised he even started the 7th with 3 of the next 4 being lefty

Two things
I think this is our/PBC's year

I am so happy that coaching happens on the proper way to type/post

I love Cutch and I know his overall BA is over 400 with RISP, but I wonder what his BA is with RISP when his team is trailing. It seems like he often comes up empty in those situations when the Bucs are trailing.

Sloppy by Bastardo...should have had two...

What a Bastardo!

Realistically, the Pirates can lose the next two games 7-1 and the season is still far from over. That being said, I had hoped they would make up some ground in this series.

Back to thursday's column. it's the little things

Lombo is worthless...

Wasn't Milwaukee ruling this time last season? Many miles to go before we sleep

Lombardozzi stinks. His sparkling .000 batting average speaks volumes.

Pirates will be 2-6 vs Cards after tonight. Can't really expect them to win the division if they can't win more of these games head to head.

Pirates have shown what type of team they truly are this series. Pitching that is well above average (but not the best in the league) and in every other area, they are average. If any one of there star pitchers goes down, they are a .500 team. Which is fine, more than we all hoped for for years.

Tonight marks the halfway point in division games played (37 out of 74). Pirates' record is 15-21 pending tonight's outcome. Clearly they need to improve on this in second half to compete for the division title.

They're playing the best team in baseball... Would you have liked for them to take three of four? Obviously, but even if they split they'll still be only 4.5 back heading into the break.

Why is Lombardozzi here? Same reason Gorkys Hernandez is. Because the mgt hates Jose Tabata.

It's mind-boggling that Huntington et al would rather carry two essentially useless players rather than swallow their pride or prejudice and bring up Tabata who might actually be able to help them. That is cutting off your nose to spite your face in spades.

Go home NMR. You're drunk.

Now...take advantage of that miscue!!

Ah, yes. Cardinal execution.

JHK!!! Love how Smoltz and company were befuddled that Kang got a hit with 2 strikes!!

pedro ...

Worst announcers ever...

Molina was blocking the plate too ....

Thank God the Cards are human. I've been listening to their announcers talk about the fireworks after the umpires heard a foul tip...they have chosen not to disclose that blown call.
Been extra frustrating. mocking AJ and the fans cheering him when he's losing.

Pedro!

HAH!

Good job guys. Knew this wasn't over.

NEW GAME!