Prior to Friday night’s game, it was officially announced that Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez had received enough votes in the “Final Vote” campaign to earn himself an All-Star bid, marking his first All-Star appearance in his young career. He had gotten 14.1 million votes.
Martinez’s inclusion raises the total number of Cardinal All-Stars to six: Martinez, Yadier Molina, Jhonny Peralta, Matt Holliday, Michael Wacha, and Trevor Rosenthal.
On Friday night, the St. Louis Cardinals faced off against the rival Pittsburgh Pirates after defeating them 4-2 the night prior, by the score of 4-2. And they faced off against the Pirates’ ace pitcher, Gerrit Cole.
The matchup was Lance Lynn (6-4, 2.53 ERA) against Cole (12-3, 2.28 ERA) in game two of a crucial National League Central four game series.
After a scoreless first inning by both teams, it was the Pirates who struck first in the second inning, when Jordy Mercer hit an RBI double, that gave them a 1-0 lead. Lynn however, allowed only that one run in the inning.
In the top of the third inning, Tommy Pham led off with a double, followed by a strikeout from Lynn. Up next stepped third baseman Matt Carpenter to the plate. And Carpenter, who has looked to get out of a struggle lately, launched a two-run home run over the center field wall, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.
But the lead wouldn’t last for long.
Gregory Polanco walked to start off the bottom of the third inning. Neil Walker then hit a single, putting two on with no one out. After a fly out by Andrew McCutcheon, Jung Ho Kang singled, scoring Polanco. Then, Mercer singled, but Peralta was able to throw out Walker at third. Pedro Alvarez stepped up to bat next, scoring Kang, and making it 3-2 Pirates.
The Pirates continued adding to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Chris Stewart led off the inning with a single. Later on, with two outs, Walker launched a two-run home run deep to center field, making it a 5-2 Pirates lead.
Meanwhile on the mound, Cole, who had struggled early on in the game, kept the Cardinals in check after the Carpenter home run, while showing why he is considered one of the best pitchers in the National League. Lynn on the other hand, had one of his roughest outings of the season thus far, with his final line on the evening’s game being: 4 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 5 Ks.
In the top of the ninth inning, Pirates closer Mark Melancon entered the game, in an attempt to secure the win, and earn the save. And he did just that, as the Cardinals fell to the rival Pirates, the final being 5-2. It’s Melancon’s 29th save in 30 opportunities.
St. Louis falls to 56-31 with the loss, and the Pirates gain a game in the division race as they are now 51-35 on the season. Lynn loses his fifth game, while Cole improves to 13-3 on the year.
As for the Carpenter, the two-run home run looks to be a good indication that the third baseman is close to being more productive in his at-bats as he was earlier in the year, as opposed to the past month and a half.
Tomorrow, John Lackey gets the start on the mound for the Cardinals.
(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
