NVABL -- Springfield (1) @ Sterling (3)

The long anticipated matchup of Cardinals and Pirates was played Monday night....

Here are the details:

Game 1 Harvey 15XYZG @ Fister 10ZG

The Cardinals strung together 6 straight hit and error numbers in the top of the 2nd, but could only come away with 2 runs, while getting 3 runners thrown out on the bases in the inning.  Don't know that either one of us had ever seen that before....  Back to back doubles by Castro and Aaron Hill extend the lead to 4-0 in the fourth.

In the bottom of the inning, the Pirates jump all over Harvey for 5 runs, with a 2-run triple for Jay Bruce, an RBI single for Andrus, and a 2-run HR for Carlos Gonzalez; sending the young right hander to the showers.  The Pirates extend the lead with 2-run HR for Carlos Beltran in the 5th, and a 4-run 8th to run away with Game 1 -- 11-3.

Game 2  E Santana 12YZ @ Nova 12YG

The teams traded unearned runs in the early innings, and the Pirates go up 3-1 on 3rd inning RBI single from Rizzo; and 5th inning RBI double from Bruce.  The Cardinals come back to tie game with Zobrist HR, a 2 out Segura triple and RBI single by Andre Ethier.

 
The Cardinals rally in the top of 9th, with lead-off walk, a wild pitch, and a HBP against reliever Rosenthal, causing a call to the pen for closer Nathan.  Nathan strikes out Hill swinging, froze Segura with a backdoor slider, and coaxed Andre Ethier to ground out weakly to Rizzo at first to end the inning.

 
Facing Stammen, Carlos Beltran lead off the bottom of the 9th, with a pooch single to left.  Pinch runner Nick Franklin was bunted to 2nd, but Bruce flew out to left for the 2nd out of the inning.  That's where "last Elvis standing" Andrus ripped a double down the 3rd base line to drive in the winning run.  Pirates 4 Cardinals 3.

Game 3  Shields 13Y @ Sale 12XZ

The Cardinals score early and often to give Shields a solid 6-0 lead through 7.  Shields gave up only 3 hits through 8 innings, but appeared to tire in the 9th; giving up 3 hits in the bottom of the 9th, capped by an Anthony Rizzo 2run double -- but it was too little too late.  Cardinals 7-2 winners of Game #3.
  

Everyone for the visiting Cardinals contributed on offense -- 4 hits for Mesoraco, 2 hits each for Kemp, Davis, Gentry, Craig and Segura.
 
  

Game 4  Strasburg 12XY @ Bumgarner 14X

A sloppy game -- the Pirates had 4 errors by their infielders in the first 4 innings.  The Cardinals added 2 more in the boxscore.  Typical of the game was the Pirates' Jay Bruce who singled with one out in the 5th, and went to 2nd on an error by Rajai Davis.  He went to third, and scored on back-to-back wild pitches by suddenly flustered Strasburg -- who then promptly plunked the pesky Andrus......
   

The teams traded HRs -- 2 by Davis and Hill in top of the 7th inning and a big 3run 2out HR by Joe Mauer to tie the game at 5-5.    All 3 Pirate runs were unearned because of an earlier error by the 3B-6, Machado....   A quiet 8th and top of the 9th is followed by a lead-off walk by Stammen to Jason Kipnis to start the bottom of the inning -- followed by a steal of of second base, a sacrific bunt, and a game winning sacrifice fly by the ever-pesky --- hunk-a-hunk-of-burnin'-love -- Elvis Andrus...  Pirates win Game 4 6-5, and the series 3 games to 1.

 
The rematch is set for next Monday night -- in Springfield.
 

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