2013 National League Division Series 1

2013 National League Division Series

St. Louis Cardinals 97 - 65 in the NL	3 - 2 Series Summary	Pittsburgh Pirates 94 - 68 in the NL

Overview[edit]

The Teams[edit]

Managers: Cardinals: Mike Matheny | Pirates: Clint Hurdle

Cardinals

Pirates

Umpires[edit]

Tony Randazzo, Wally Bell, Jerry Layne, Sam Holbrook, Jim Joyce, Paul Nauert

Those were the last games worked by veteran umpire Wally Bell, who would pass away on October 14th, victim of a heart attack at 48.

Series results[edit]

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Pittsburgh Pirates 1 St. Louis Cardinals 9	October 3	A.J. Burnett (0-1) Adam Wainwright (1-0)	5:07 pm
2	Pittsburgh Pirates 7 St. Louis Cardinals 1	October 4	Gerrit Cole (1-0) Lance Lynn (0-1)	1:07 pm
3	St. Louis Cardinals 3 Pittsburgh Pirates 5	October 6	Joe Kelly (0-0) Francisco Liriano (0-0)	4:37 pm
4	St. Louis Cardinals 2 Pittsburgh Pirates 1	October 7	Michael Wacha (1-0) Charlie Morton (0-1)	3:07 pm
5	Pittsburgh Pirates 1 St. Louis Cardinals 6	October 9	Gerrit Cole (1-1) Adam Wainwright (2-0)	8:07 pm

Results[edit]

Game 1 @ Busch Stadium[edit]

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Pirates	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	4	3
Cardinals	0	0	7	0	1	1	0	0	x	9	10	0
WP: Adam Wainwright (1-0), LP: A.J. Burnett (0-1)
Home Runs: PIT -Pedro Alvarez (1); STL - Carlos Beltran (1)

Attendance: 45,693

The Cardinals won the opening game of the series at home behind the pitching of their ace, Adam Wainwright, and a seven-run 3rd inning that gave them a commanding early lead. Facing Wainwright was A.J. Burnett for the Pirates, one of the few members of their team to have prior postseason experience but one who also had a career Busch Stadium ERA over 15. Wainwright was dominant, setting down the Pirates in order over the first three innings, with only Clint Barmes' line drive, which was caught by 3B David Freese on a beautiful diving play. being hit hard. Burnett for his part kept the Cards off the scoreboard in the first two innings but not without difficulty. He gave up a walk to Matt Holliday in the 1st, and then Yadier Molina and Jon Jay opened the 2nd with back-to-back singles; he got out of that jam by inducing a ground ball by Freese for the first out, and then an inning-ending double play by Daniel Descalso. But he was not sharp, and it cost him big time the next inning.

Burnett walked his opposite number, Wainwright, to lead off the bottom of the 3rd. There is an old adage in baseball that a pitcher who walks his opponent to lead off an inning won't be around to finish the frame; Burnett proved that the old-timers were right on that count. Matt Carpenter followed with a single, then Carlos Beltran just crushed one his pitches, sending the ball in the second deck of the right field stands, 443 feet from home plate for a three-run homer. The blast tied Beltran with the great Babe Ruth for second-most ever in the postseason with 15 - with the caveat that Ruth had hit all of his in the World Series, as had Mickey Mantle, who held the record with 18. With still nobody out, Burnett continued to struggle with his command, giving up a double to Holliday, and then hitting Matt Adams with a breaking ball in the dirt. At that point, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle decided to show confidence in his veteran hurler by not calling for anyone to warm up in the bullpen. It would turn out to be a huge mistake, as Burnett had to soldier on without his control against two more batters, Molina and Jay, who both walked, forcing in a fourth run. Hurdle finally had to make a move, bringing in reliever Jeanmar Gomez with the bases loaded, no one out, and four runs already in. Freese hit a sharp ground ball towards first base that just eluded Justin Morneau's glove and scored two more runs; RF Marlon Byrd relayed to first but his throw hit Freese, allowing yet another run to score. It was now 7-0. Gomez managed to get the next three batters with no more damage, but the game was now completely out of hand.

Wainwright ran his streak of batters retired to start the game to 11 by getting the first two hitters in the 4th before Andrew McCutchen and Morneau hit back-to-back singles, but Byrd struck out to end the inning. The Pirates scored their only run in the 5th when Pedro Alvarez led off the frame with a no-doubter to right field, although not as monstrous as Beltran's shot in the 3rd. The Cards got that run right back in the bottom of the 5th as Jay walked and Freese singled to lead off the inning against Gomez, then Descalso hit a potential double play grounder. However, Barmes' relay to first was wild, and Jay came in to score. The Cardinals added a final run in the bottom of the 6th, when Molina doubled in Adams, who had drawn a two-out walk. By now, it was all academic. The Cards had an insurmountable 9-1 lead, and the two teams just played out the remainder of the game. Wainwright was credited with the win, having given up only 3 hits in 7 innings.

Game 2 @ Busch Stadium[edit]

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Pirates	0	1	2	0	2	0	1	1	0	7	10	0
Cardinals	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	4	1
WP: Gerrit Cole (1-0), LP: Lance Lynn (0-1)
Home Runs: PIT - Pedro Alvarez (2), Starling Marte (1); STL - Yadier Molina (1)

Attendance: 45,999

The Pirates evened the series at one game apiece behind a solid performance by rookie starter Gerrit Cole. The youngster allowed only 2 hits over 6 innings, giving the Bucs a chance to build an early lead, which the Cardinals were unable to attack, and also helped himself with the bat. After a scoreless 1st inning, the Pirates opened the scoring against St. Louis starter Lance Lynn in the 2nd after Pedro Alvarez hit a one-out automatic double. Lynn struck out Russell Martin, but chose to walk number 8 hitter Jordy Mercer in order to face Cole. Cole made the move backfire by hitting a single up the middle, which scored Alvarez. Lynn then plunked Starling Marte to load the bases, but escaped further damage when Neil Walker grounded out to second.

The Pirates were back at it in the 3rd, when Justin Morneau hit a one-out single; after a second out, Alvarez hit his second homer in two games and the Pirates were now up, 3-0, with Cole entirely the master of the situation on their end. In the 5th, back-to-back doubles by Morneau and Marlon Byrd made it 4-0, and when Lynn walked the next batter, Alvarez, his day of work was over. Seth Maness came in to pitch, but immediately allowed a single to Martin that scored Byrd for a 5-0 lead. Yadier Molina homered to lead off the bottom of the 5th - only the second hit Cole had given up at that point, but Cole retired the next three batters, preventing the Cardinals from getting any more momentum. The Pirates then added an unearned run off the Cards' bullpen in the 7th, when Byrd reached on 3B David Freese's error and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Martin. At that point, with a 6-1 lead, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle sent Gaby Sanchez to pinch-hit for Cole, as the rookie had done everything that had been asked of him - and more.

Three relievers - Tony Watson, Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli - pitched the last three innings for the Pirates, keeping the Cardinals from scoring, while the Pirates added one last run when Marte homered off Shelby Miller to lead off the 8th. That made the final score 7-1 for Pittsburgh, and the two teams headed for Steeltown tied at one win each.

Cole's win meant Pirates rookies were now 6-0 in postseason history, following Babe Adams (3-0, 1909) and Tim Wakefield (2-0, 1992).

Game 3 @ PNC Park[edit]

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cardinals	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	3	7	1
Pirates	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	x	5	8	0
WP: Mark Melancon (1-0), LP: Carlos Martinez (0-1), SV: Jason Grilli (1)
Home Runs: STL - Carlos Beltran (2)

Attendance: 40,489

The Pirates took a 2 games to 1 lead in the series with a 5-3 win over the Cardinals in front of a raucous crowd at PNC Park, the first close game of the series. The Pirates had a definite advantage on paper, with their ace Francisco Liriano taking the mound against the relatively unheralded Joe Kelly, who was making his first career postseason start, although he had appeared in 7 games in relief in the 2012 Postseason. Kelly had done very well against Pittsburgh in the regular season. The Pirates drew first blood, scoring twice off Kelly in the the bottom of the 1st after their first two batters had been retired. Andrew McCutchen drew a walk and Justin Morneau hit a ball sharply up the middle, which deflected off Kelly towards SS Pete Kozma, who tried to throw out Morneau but instead threw the ball away, allowing both runners to move to scoring position. Marlon Byrd made the Cards pay for the mistake with a single to left that drove in both of his teammates.

Liriano kept the Cardinals off the scoreboard for the first 4 innings, although he loaded the bases in the 3rd, but in the 5th, he made trouble for himself by putting the first two batters on base, Jon Jay on a single and Kozma by way of a walk. Kelly failed in his attempt to lay down a bunt, striking out instead, but on Matt Carpenter's strikeout, the two runners pulled off a successful double steal, with umpire Paul Nauert making a bad call that Jay was safe; replays showed Jay had been tagged out by Pedro Alvarez. The dangerous Carlos Beltran was up next with first base open, but Clint Hurdle elected to pitch to him, and he singled to center to drive in both runners and tie the score at 2-all. That score stood until the bottom of the 6th, when McCutchen drew a lead-off walk off Kelly, then advanced to third on Byrd's one-out double. Kelly walked the red-hot Alvarez intentionally to load the bases, then ceded the mound to Seth Maness. He retired Russell Martin, but the French Canadian catcher's fly ball to center was deep enough for McCutchen to score, and the Pirates had a 3-2 lead.

The Pirates' big strength all season had been their bullpen, and at that point, Hurdle decided to replace Liriano with reliever Tony Watson, who retired the Cards with no damage in the 7th. In the 8th however, set-up man Mark Melancon allowed a lead-off homer to Beltran that tied the score again, this time at 3-all. It was the 16th postseason homer of Beltran's career, breaking the tie he had reached with Babe Ruth for second on the all-time list in the category when he had homered in Game 1. Melancon had allowed just one regular season homer all year. Melancon allowed another hit, a one-out single by Yadier Molina, but then induced David Freese to hit a ground ball that the Bucs' defense turned into an inning-ending double play. It was now turn for rookie Carlos Martinez to take the mound for the Cardinals, after veteran John Axford had been perfect in the 7th. Once again, McCutchen set the tone, this time doubling off the young pitcher as the first batter of the inning to create serious danger. However, he was immediately erased when Morneau hit a grounder to SS Kozma, who then nailed the speedy McCutchen at third base on an ill-planned attempt to advance. Hurdle sent Josh Harrison as a pinch-runner for Morneau, and Byrd then drew a walk to put two men on. Martinez departed in favor of Kevin Siegrist, who had allowed a .118 average to lefties in the regular season. He was summoned to face Alvarez, a .180 hitter against southpaws, in what was supposed to be a clear mismatch in favor of Siegrist. Instead, Alvarez had another big hit, a single to right that drove in Harrison and placed Byrd on third. Martin then added an insurance run with another run-scoring single, and it was now 5-3 in Pittsburgh's favor. It was Jason Grilli's turn to come in to pitch for the Bucs. He allowed a lead-off single to Matt Adams but then retired the next three batters in order without Adams even reaching second base to nail down the win.

Game 4 @ PNC Park[edit]

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cardinals	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	3	0
Pirates	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0
WP: Michael Wacha (1-0), LP: Charlie Morton (0-1), SV: Trevor Rosenthal (1)
Home Runs: STL - Matt Holliday (1); PIT - Pedro Alvarez (3)

Attendance: 40,493

The two teams engaged in another dramatic contest, this one a pitching duel.Michael Wacha, fresh off pitching a no-hitter for 8 2/3 innings in his last game of the regular season, was nearly perfect again, while Charlie Morton kept St. Louis off the board for five innings even if he wasn't as sharp. Neither team even got a man into scoring position until the 5th when David Freese walked with one out and Pete Kozma singled, but after Wacha bunted them over, Morton got Matt Carpenter to chase a curveball in the dirt. In the 6th, Carlos Beltran walked and Matt Holliday homered for the only Cardinals runs - and all they would need, as it turned out. Russell Martin became the first Pirate baserunner when he walked to open the bottom of the 6th but Wacha retired pinch-hitters Garrett Jones and Jordy Mercer then got Starling Marte to strike out. In the bottom of the 8th, Pittsburgh got its lone hit as Pedro Alvarez hit yet another home run, his third of the series, chasing Wacha. Unfortunately for the Bucs, there was no one on base, and they were still one run down. Carlos Martinez got the next two outs. In the bottom of the 9th, Trevor Rosenthal retired Mercer and Marte, then walked Neil Walker, but Andrew McCutchen popped out on a 3-1 count to end the game, forcing a Game 5 meeting back in St. Louis.

Game 5 @ Busch Stadium[edit]

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Pirates	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	8	1
Cardinals	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	3	x	6	9	0
WP: Adam Wainwright (2-0), LP: Gerrit Cole (1-1)
Home Runs: STL - David Freese (1), Matt Adams (1)

Attendance: 47,231

The Cardinals came out on top of their see-saw battle with their division rivals the Pirates with a 6-1 win at home in Game 5, thanks to another superb performance from their ace, Adam Wainwright. The big curveballer pitched a complete game, allowing only 1 run on 8 hits - all of them singles -, walking one and striking out 6 to set the tone for his team. His opponent, rookie Gerrit Cole, coming off a win in Game 2, also pitched well, but he made one crucial mistake: in the 2nd inning, he issued a two-out walk to Jon Jay, then the next batter, David Freese, no stranger to postseason heroics, sent a ball into the left field stands at Busch Stadium for a two-run homer. Those would be the only runs Cole would give up in five innings of work, but as Wainwright was systematically mowing down the Pirates, not even allowing a baserunner to reach second base in the first five innings, Cole was trailing, 2-0, when he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the 6th. The Cardinals had had only one other scoring chance off him, in the 4th inning, when Matt Adams and Yadier Molina hit back-to-back singles with one out, with both runners advancing an extra base on a throwing error by 3B Pedro Alvarez; however, Jay hit a hard ground ball to 2B Neil Walker who gunned down Adams at home to end the threat.

The Cardinals scored a third run against Justin Wilson in the 6th, on a walk and a pair of singles, then Pittsburgh came back to within two runs in the 7th when Justin Morneau, Marlon Byrd and Alvarez hit consecutive singles with two outs. The normally clutch-hitting Russell Martin then came to bat with the tying run on base, but he grounded out, ending the Bucs' most serious threat of the evening. The Cardinals then put the game away by adding three runs in the bottom of the 8th, the first two coming on a single by Matt Holliday followed by a homer by Adams off Mark Melancon, and the last driven in by Pete Kozma against Jason Grilli. Now holding a comfortable lead, Wainwright could return to pitch the 9th with little pressure, and although Morneau and Byrd both hit two-out singles, Alvarez ended the Series by striking out swinging. The Cardinals were moving on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.