Jul 12, 2008 11:36 pm US/Eastern
Pirates Rally, Top Cardinals In 10th Inning
PITTSBURGH (AP) ―
Jason Michaels hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning, the Pirates' third big homer in three innings, and Pittsburgh rallied from six runs down in the eighth to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 12-11 Saturday night.
The Cardinals appeared to be cruising with a season-high 22 hits while taking leads of 9-3 in the seventh and 10-4 in the eighth, but Jason Bay hit his second two-run homer of the game in the eighth.
The Pirates tied it with four runs in the ninth on Nate McLouth's three-run shot off Jason Isringhausen and Bay's fifth RBI of the game, on a force-play grounder.
Troy Glaus homered leading off the 10th for St. Louis' 10th extra-base hit, but the Cardinals' unreliable bullpen couldn't hold this lead, either. Cardinals relievers have lost 20 games and lead the majors with 22 blown saves.
The Cardinals outhit the Pirates 22-13 but left 12 on base. Denny Bautista (3-1) got the victory despite allowing Glaus' homer leading off the 10th.
Raul Chavez singled to start the Pirates' 10th against Kyle McClellan, who was lifted for rookie Chris Perez (2-1). Michaels, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the ninth, followed a batter later with a drive into the left-center seats for his fourth homer.
The Cardinals fell 5½ games behind NL Central leader Chicago despite totaling 17 runs and 35 hits in the first two games of the three-game series after scoring more than two runs only once in their previous seven. They were outscored 32-13 while losing sa usually does with his pitchers, had a sacrifice bunt but left six runners on base while going 0-for-3.
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