On a beautiful Friday night in the Gateway City, the St. Louis Cardinals, who finished April with a record of 15-6 and had not lost a single series, entered May aiming to keep the hot streak alive. They’d look to do so, as they started a three game series against their National League Central rival (one of them, at least), the Pittsburgh Pirates.
And what a thrilling way to do so.
Both starters during the game entered with good starts to their 2015 seasons. For the Cardinals, it was Lance Lynn, 27, whose 1-2 record does not represent how well he has pitched thus far. A.J Burnett, 38, who has a record of 0-1 this season, also has been much better than his represents.
Friday night’s game started with a strikeout of Gregory Polanco by Lynn, followed by a ground-out by Josh Harrison, and a fly-out by Andrew McCutchen, who recently recorded his 1000th career hit during a series against the Chicago Cubs. Burnett’s half of the first inning started with a hit by Jon Jay on a tough play for the Pirates to field. With Matt Carpenter up to bat, Jay was caught stealing by catcher Francisco Cervilli. Carpenter, who has been on an absolute tear this season, lined out to mid-center field.
Left fielder Matt Holliday then struck out to end the first inning, giving Burnett his first strike out of the game.
To start off the top of the second inning, Lynn would record his second straight 1-2-3 inning, which included a catch that was run down in shallow right by Jason Heyward, preventing a base hit by Starling Marte. Pedro Alvarez grounded out to Matt Adams to end the top of the inning. Adam would lead off the bottom of the second with a ground out, followed by an out by Jhonny Peralta. Heyward walked with two outs, and eventually stole second.
But a fly-out by Yadier Molina ended the second inning with both teams tied at 0-0.
Lynn struck out his second batter of the night, Cervilli, to start off the third. Jordy Mercer struck out right afterwards, and that was followed by a strikeout of Burnett. Three up, three down, three strikeouts for Lynn in the top of the third.
Kolten Wong started the bottom half of the third with a lead-off hit, but Cervilli would throw him out as he was trying to steal second, putting the Cardinals at 1-2 on the evening in stolen base attempts. Lynn struck out, bringing Jay up with two outs and the bases empty.
The first base-runner for Pittsburgh did not get on base until the top of the fourth, when Polanco hit a single. Once again, however, Lynn would get out of the inning unscathed.
In the bottom of the fourth, Carpenter would walk, and Holliday would ground-out on an excellent defensive play by Harrison. Adams would ground-out, as Carpenter advanced to third. Peralta then struck out, the fifth by Burnett, to end the fourth.
Once again this season, the Cardinals were in the middle of a pitcher’s duel, this time between Lynn and Burnett: as the teams headed into the bottom of the fifth inning, it was a scoreless game, and both pitchers only allowed a single hit.
The scoreless game finally changed in the top of the sixth when Burnett would hit a single with two men on and no outs, scoring one, to make it 1-0 Pittsburgh. And the bases soon ended up loaded. But Lynn got out of the jam, getting Harrison to fly-out, McCutchen to strike out, as well as getting Neil Walker to strike out, to keep it just a one-run game.
Up to hit  three Matts…Carpenter, Holliday, and Adams…could not provide a spark in the bottom half-inning…a spark they’ve been able to give for the majority of the season.
But in the bottom of the seventh, with Burnett out of the game, St. Louis would seize the opportunity. Arquimedes Caminero. Peralta would single, Heyward walked, and after a Molina line-out and Wong strikeout, pinch-hitter Mark Reynolds would hit an infield single to score Peralta, and tie the game at one.
It would remain a 1-1 tie game past the eighth and ninth innings, and the rivalry game would have to be decided in extra innings. Matt Belisle would enter in the top of the tenth to pitch for the Cardinals. After Lynn, Seth Maness, and Trevor Rosenthal, Belisle was the fourth pitcher used by St. Louis during the evening.
With two on and two outs, manager Mike Matheny took out Belisle and brought in the veteran lefty Randy Choate, who would get the final out, as well as the Cardinals out of the jam.
The bottom of the 10th, after ground-outs by Wong and Peter Bourjos, Jay would single, and Carpenter would double. Holliday would walk, and the bases were loaded with two outs.
Up stepped Adams…and “Big City” hit a single to left field and the Cardinals won 2-1 in extra innings, as the Busch Stadium crowd went absolutely wild.
St. Louis is now 16-6 on the year, and remain in first place in the division. as they win their fourth straight victory. Choate picked up his first win of the season, while Pirates’ reliever Rob Scahill picked up his second loss of the year.
John Lackey will get the start tomorrow night for the Cardinals.
(AP Photo/Bill Boyce)
