PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) - The Pirates blank the Cardinals and take 2 out of 3 in the series, after Martín Pérez pitches six scoreless, in a 5-0 win.
Coming into the game, Pérez faced the Cardinals four times. He went 7 innings or more in three of those starts and had a 2.36 ERA. He lowered that ERA against the Red Birds after his start Wednesday. Pérez allowed four hits and no runs. He struggled with his command though, he walked five batters.
With a 5-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning, Pérez was faced with a bases loaded predicament. Willson Contreras rolled over on a changeup outside of the strike zone and Ke'Bryan Hayes threw out Alec Burleson for the fielders choice to keep the game 5-0.
"Nice bounce back," said manager Derek Shelton. "I think the execution of his pitches were better, I thought the mix of his pitches were better. The last start he just didn't mix and match as much as he should have. He looked like he was right around the zone. I know he had five walks but he looked like he was right on the edges. He's gotta pitch to the edges and sometimes it gets expanded and sometimes it doesn't. Today it didn't. He was still able to come out and execute."
After not being able to score runs Tuesday night, the Pirates offense came alive against Matthew Liberatore. Rowdy Tellez opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second inning to make it 1-0 Pittsburgh. Liberatore would walk Michael A. Taylor to load the bases. Andrew McCutchen drew a walk to bring home a second run.
Connor Joe busted the game open with a two run double to make it a four run second inning.
Tellez put one in the Allegheny on a bounce in the bottom of the fourth inning, extending the lead to 5-0. Tellez has followed up his .333 batting average in June with a .321 average in July.
Tellez wasn't originally in the lineup because it was a left handed pitcher but with Bryan Reynolds being scratched due to injury, Tellez was inserted into the game.
"Whenever someone comes into a lineup that's not in the original lineup when I'm on the opposing side, it gives me a ton of anxiety because usually that person does something good. He did a lot of good today," said Shelton.
"Rowdy had a good game today. Left on left, the first base hit, the home run, I don't know if I've ever seen a home run that looks like it's going to be right over the foul pole, land 40 feet fair. Overall, good game for Rowdy."
The Pirates have won 10 of their last 13 games. They are 52-50 and sit one game out of the third Wild Card spot. They will face NL West and AL West teams until August 21. They start a six game road trip in Arizona Friday. Our coverage on the Fan starts at 8:45 with the North Shore Tavern Leadoff Show presented by Pella Windows.