Cardinals 4 - 5 Pirates
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Jones' homer in 11th lifts Pirates over Cardinals

Aug 17, 2011 - 5:05 AM

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Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Garrett Jones' solo homer in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates over the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-4, in the second test of a three-game series.

Arthur Rhodes (0-1) stayed on to pitch the 11th after recording the final two outs in the 10th. Jones stepped to the plate and crushed Rhodes' 2-2 offering over the wall in right.

"I knew I got it," Jones said. "It felt good to get the win."

Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run homer for the Pirates, who have won the first two games of this series after losing three in a row to the Brewers. Neil Walker added a solo homer.

Pittsburgh starter Jeff Karstens gave up three runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. Chris Resop (4-4) pitched two scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win.

Chris Carpenter allowed three runs on five hits in a seven-inning start for St. Louis.

The Cardinals got on the board in the second. Matt Holliday led off the frame with a double over the head of center fielder McCutchen. Holliday moved to third on David Freese's groundout and scored on Skip Schumaker's base hit.

Pittsburgh took the lead in the third on McCutchen's homer. Karstens walked and Jose Tabata singled with one out. After Xavier Paul grounded out, McCutchen crushed Carpenter's offering just inside the left-field foul pole.

St. Louis scored twice in the sixth to tie the game. Albert Pujols led off the inning with a homer to right. Lance Berkman worked a one-out walk and scored on Freese's double down the right field line. Jason Grilli came in from the bullpen and got the final two outs to keep it a 3-3 game.

"Those are just numbers. They just reflect how great he is," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said of Pujols, who has 28 career home runs at PNC Park. "But he is great. He's a real weapon."

The Cardinals went ahead in the top of the ninth. Joel Hanrahan allowed Jon Jay to start the frame with a double to left. Rafael Furcal's sacrifice bunt moved Jay to third. After Pujols was intentionally walked, Holliday hit a sacrifice fly to center for a 4-3 edge.

But the Pirates tied the game in the home half. Walker led things off with a blast to right-center field off Fernando Salas. Pittsburgh stranded a runner on second to send the game into extras.

The Pirates left men on first and second in the 10th.

The Cardinals put a man on first with two outs in the 11th. Pujols hit a deep fly ball to left-center field, but McCutchen made a great running catch to keep it a 4-4 contest.

Game Notes

The Pirates own a 5-3 advantage in their 2011 season series with the Cardinals...Pittsburgh recalled outfielder Tabata from Triple-A Indianapolis and activated him off the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. He had been out since June 26 when he injured his left quad in a game against Boston. To make room on the roster, the team optioned infielder Pedro Alvarez to Indianapolis...It was Jones' second career game-ending homer.






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