ST. LOUIS (AP) — Miles Mikolas was feeling fresh for St. Louis
http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-brandon-moss-jersey , and that was bad news for the Pittsburgh Pirates.Cardinals rookie Tyler O’Neill
hit a three-run homer during a six-run eighth inning, Marcell Ozuna drove in
three and Mikolas pitched seven solid innings after an extra day off to lift the
Cardinals over the Pirates 11-5 on Tuesday night.“The extra day is big at this
point in the season,” Mikolas said. “Gives you an extra day to push back a lift
or take that breather and get some stuff done at your own pace and not try to
crunch running and lifting and throwing and treatment and this and that in a
day. It allows you to space it out and it takes a mental burden off you.”Mikolas
(15-5) gave up a run, five hits and a walk while striking out seven with 107
pitches. He dropped his ERA to 2.99, and he got his first victory in five starts
against the Pirates this season.“I thought he was fantastic,” Cardinals manager
Mike Shildt said. “He threw strikes for effect. His secondary pitches were
hitting. He did a really, really nice job. It was a quality outing. Miles has
been pretty good every time he’s toed the rubber.”Mikolas struck out five
straight in one stretch, and the Cardinals improved to 21-8 in his
starts.Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was impressed with Mikolas, who signed
with St. Louis before this season following three years in Japan.“He shows up,
makes pitches and he competes
Bo Jackson Jersey ,” Hurdle said. “For him to get the depth he got after a couple of situations we had him in early was impressive. … We jacked his pitch
count up and he was able to put his foot down when he needed to.”Ozuna is
hitting .352 this season against Pittsburgh. He has 13 RBIs against the Pirates
and 79 on the season.Since coming off the disabled list for his balky right
shoulder, Ozuna has been hot.He extended his hitting streak to seven games (13
for 30, .433). It was his team-leading 20th game with multiple RBIs this
season.“I feel better, God bless,” Ozuna said. “I’m better in my approach and
having success. I’m way better.”Joe Musgrove (6-9) went six innings. He allowed
four hits, four runs and two walks while striking out eight.St. Louis took a 2-0
lead in the first when Ozuna hit a two-run double to left, scoring Matt
Carpenter and Jose Martinez.“That was a missile to left to get us started,”
Shildt said.Corey Dickerson countered for Pittsburgh with an RBI single in the
fourth before St. Louis added two runs in the sixth after loading the bases with
no outs. After Ozuna struck out, Musgrove threw a wild pitch to score Carpenter.
Paul DeJong hit a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Martinez for a 4-1 lead.A
wild pitch by Pirates reliever Tanner Anderson with the bases load in the
seventh let Francisco Pena score.Then St. Louis blew it open in the eighth. Pena
singled home Kolten Wong from second base
Paulo Orlando Jersey , and O’Neill then hit a 3-0 pitch 457 feet into the upper left field bleachers for his eighth home run. The shot knocked out rookie
pitcher Nick Burdi, who was making his major league debut.Pinch-hitter Adolis
Garcia added a run-scoring double off Clay Holmes, and Ozuna finished off the
St. Louis scoring with a sacrifice fly. It was the first career RBI and
extra-base hit for Garcia.The Pirates scored four runs and five hits in the
ninth off Luke Weaver. John Brebbia relieved to record the final out.TRAINER’S
ROOMCardinals: Activated P Mike Mayers (right shoulder inflammation) from the
10-day disabled list. He had been out since Aug. 26. … C Yadier Molina missed
his fifth straight game with left hamstring tightness. He is day to day. … 3B
Jedd Gyorko (left groin strain) is expected to be activated Thursday.UP
NEXTPirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (12-9, 3.40) make his career-high 29th start.
He had made 18 straight starts allowing three earned runs or fewer. He is 2-1
with a 3.57 ERA in seven career starts against St. Louis.Cardinals: RHP Daniel
Poncedeleon (0-1, 2.67) will make his fourth start of the season and it will be
his first appearance against the Pirates. He pitched two innings of scoreless
relief Saturday in Detroit. A look at what’s happening around the majors
today:ROCK ‘EMColorado has won six in row, boosting its playoff position. The NL
West leaders aim for a four-game sweep when they take on the Phillies at Coors
Field, having outscored them 34-4 so far in the series. Antonio Senzatela (6-6,
4.52 ERA) starts for the Rockies against Jake Arrieta (10-10, 3.94).The Rockies’
14-0 romp Wednesday night moved them a half-game past the Los Angeles Dodgers
for the division lead. They’re also 1 1/2 games ahead of St. Louis for the
second NL wild-card spot.HOLDING ONLefty Jon Lester and the Chicago Cubs try to
maintain their lead in the NL Central when they host Pittsburgh at Wrigley
Field. The Cubs have a half-game edge over Milwaukee, which is idle. Chicago and
the Brewers both have clinched playoff spots
http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-danny-duffy-jersey , so one will win the division and the other will be in the all-or-nothing
wild-card game. Lester (17-6, 3.43 ERA) is 5-1 with a 1.96 ERA in his last seven
starts. The Cubs will see how star third baseman Kris Bryant is feeling — he
didn’t play Wednesday night because of a bruised left wrist, the result of being
hit by a pitch the previous day.CAUGHT SHORTThe NL East champion Braves will
find out if there’s any update on shortstop Dansby Swanson. The team said
Wednesday that he has a partially torn ligament in his left hand, putting his
postseason status in jeopardy. Swanson won’t play the rest of the regular
season, which ends Sunday. The Braves open the best-of-five NL Division Series
on Oct. 4.The 24-year-old Swanson was on the disabled list in May and missed 13
games with left wrist inflammation. He is batting .238 with 14 home runs and 59
RBIs and is considered a candidate to be a Gold Glove finalist.TUNE UPAstros
right-hander Gerrit Cole (15-5, 2.92) gets loose when he pitches at Baltimore.
His following start will come in the Division Series when AL West champion
Houston takes on Cleveland. Cole has 272 strikeouts. Teammate Justin Verlander
leads the league with 280.
