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Pirates squander gem from Gorzelanny in loss to Cardinals

Apr 11, 2007 - 4:31 AM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- The St. Louis Cardinals couldn't solve Tom Gorzelanny but luckily for them they didn't have to.

The Cardinals took advantage of a couple of miscues by the Pittsburgh Pirates and rallied for a 3-2 victory in 12 innings.

Gorzelanny shut the Cardinals down for seven shutout innings, allowing only four hits while striking out five.

"I felt good today and I thought I made some good pitches," Gorzelanny said. "I got guys to swing at good pitches and got them out; that's basically all I can do, all I can ask for."

Unfortunately for the Pirates, their bullpen, which had given up just four earned runs in 22 innings to start the season, was not able to finish the job. Matt Capps came on to pitch a scoreless eighth but Salomon Torres could not hold a 2-0 lead in the ninth and blew his first save in five chances.

"Obviously in the ninth inning, the game is far from being over when they're sending the top of their order up there," Pittsburgh manager Jim Tracy said. "They got the two runs but Salomon did a very good job of putting the inning down there."

Gary Bennett scored the winning run in the 12th inning, running on a fly ball to shallow left field by Skip Schumaker. The throw to the plate by Jason Bay beat Bennett but catcher Ronny Paulino dropped the ball.

"All I know is when I slid in, I looked down and I saw the ball come out (of Paulino's glove)," Bennett said. "We had to try and get something done and put pressure on them, force them to make a play. Fortunately we made the play and it worked out for us."

John Wasdin (0-1) allowed two hits and a run in the 12th to take the loss.

Brad Thompson (1-0) allowed a hit and a walk in two innings for the win and Jason Isringhausen came on in the 12th for his third save.

Scott Spiezio started at third base in place of Scott Rolen, who missed the game with back spasms, and delivered a two-run single in the ninth off of Torres to score David Eckstein and Chris Duncan and tie the game, 2-2.

"I was just looking for something out over the plate and I got it and put a nice swing on it," Spiezio said.

Jose Bautista hit a solo home run in the fifth and Freddy Sanchez doubled in the sixth and scored on a single by Bay to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

The Cardinals' Randy Keisler, filling the injured Chris Carpenter's spot in the rotation, went six innings, surrendering five hits and two earned runs to go with three strikeouts.

"It was my first start (with the Cardinals) so I've got to make an impression," Keisler said. "I'm filling in for one of the best pitchers in the game so I just wanted to go out and give my team an opportunity to win and do my part."

Aaron Miles had four hits for the Cardinals, who are now 34-15 against the Pirates since the start of the 2004 season.

"In the end, (third base coach Jose) Oquendo made a great call, taking a chance and we got a nice hop on Bay's throw that gave us the extra run," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said.