NVABL -- Pirates Sweep the Cardinals in Springfield

The details:

To put it lightly, the dice were falling for the Pirates in this one....

Game 1 Fister 10ZG @ Shields 13Y

The Cards went up 1-0 in the 3rd on Zobrist SF, but the Pirates countered with 2 in the 4th inning on Hunter RBI triple and Beltran single. The Cardinals then knocked Fister out of the game in the 5th inning on back to back errors and a 2run HR from 3B Pena to go up 4-2.

It was all Pirates after that -- 3 solo HRs from Cabrera, Beltran, and Victor Martinez, and an RBI single by Joe Mauer put the Pirates up 6-4. The Pirates' bullpen took over, along with Joe Mauer gunning out potential basestealers in both the 8th and 9th innings put this game into the win column for the Buccos.

Game 2 Weaver 11YZ @ Santana 12YZ

The Pirates scored solo runs in the 2nd and 4th innings, and chased Santana from the game with 5 straight 2 out singles in the 5th inning - to go up 5-0. The bullpens took over, and the Pirates win 5-1.

Game 3 Bumgarner 14X @ Harvey 15XYZG

This was all Pirates.... many many double numbers rolled, and once the dust settled, Cabrera was 3-6 with a double, 2 HRs and 4 RBIs... Mauer 3-5 with 3 RBIs... Cargo and Beltran had HRs... Andrus was a HR short of the cycle.... 13-7 Pirates....

Game 4 Sale 12XZ @ Strasburg 12XY

Pirates going for the sweep. 3 doubles in the 2nd resulted in a 2-0 lead for the Buccos. 3 Springfield singles and a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning tied the game at 2-2. The Cardinals went up 4-2 on 3 straight 2-out hits in the 3rd -- 2run single for 2B Aaron Hill. The Pirates got to the Cardinals bullpen for 2 runs in the 6th, capped by a 2-run single by Elvis Andrus. 

The game was tied at 4-4 until the 9th inning, when the floodgates opened against the best of that Cardinal bullpen.... walk, SB, sac, rbi-single, double, rbi-single, another rbi-single... before they could get the second out of the inning.... the Pirates scored 4 runs.... the thoroughly frustrated Cardinals get back a run, and bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but Caleb Thielbar comes in to strike out Manny Machado to end the game. Pirates win 8-5, and earn a surprising sweep against the division leaders.

Chris -- thanks for adjusting your schedule to get these last two series in....

Pirates looking to schedule last three series against Oakton, Stonehenge, and Seacoast to finish up the regular season.