St. Louis, MO (Best E Casino) - Ian Snell mastered the Cardinal bats for seven shutout innings and Ryan Doumit had three hits and an RBI, as Pittsburgh took the opener of an abbreviated two-game series from St. Louis, 4-1.
Snell (5-10) scattered four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts, breaking out of a rough stretch in which the right-hander had just one win in his last 10 starts.
Braden Looper (11-10) pitched well enough to win but was victimized by a suspect bullpen performance, allowing only one run on three hits with a pair of walks and as many strikeouts over seven frames. He did continue an impressive streak in which the right-hander has allowed three runs or less in each of his last six starts.
St. Louis fell to 8 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL- Central with the loss. The Pirates, meanwhile, won for the second straight game.
The Bucs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first. Nyjer Morgan drew a walk to start things off before Jack Wilson grounded into a force out at second. Doumit followed with an RBI double to the gap in right-center.
The Pirate bats went cold thereafter as Looper allowed just two singles over the next six frames. Snell was even more masterful keeping the Cardinals off the scoreboard for seven frames, scattering three singles and a double by Yadier Molina in the fifth.
St. Louis helped cement its own fate with a sloppy ninth. Kyle McClellan returned for the ninth after tossing a scoreless eighth and the Pirates loaded the bases. After back-to-back singles from Doumit and Adam LaRoche, Jason Michaels was able to reach safely after laying down a bunt.
That set the stage for a series of Cardinal miscues as Andy LaRoche grounded to second baseman Felipe Lopez, who came home with the throw. Molina appeared to have the ball and quickly pivoted to turn two at first but dropped the ball, allowing a run to score. With the bases still full, McClellan walked Steve Pearce to force in a second run.
Luis Rivas followed with a fly ball to center fielder Joe Mather for the first out. Michaels chose not to tag from third but the throw home eluded the cut-off man and rolled behind home plate. McClellan was backing up the play but Molina inexplicably vacated home plate to chase the ball anyway and Michaels came home uncontested to make it a 4-0 game. Ron Villone entered to get the final two outs.
John Grabow came on in the ninth to close the door and got two quick outs sandwiched around a walk to Ryan Ludwick. Molina then drew a walk before T.J. Beam was called in to face pinch-hitter Adam Kennedy, who poked an RBI single to left. Cesar Izturis then worked a walk and the bases were suddenly loaded with the tying run at first, but Beam settled down and fanned Brian Barton for his first career save.
Game Notes
Pittsburgh took a 7-6 lead in the season series with the win...Wednesday's scheduled starters are Jason Davis (1-2) for Pittsburgh and Todd Wellemeyer (10-4) for St. Louis...The Cardinals left nine men on base while the Pirates stranded six.
