Early sub Paulino gets go-ahead hit in Pirates' 8-4, 10-inning win over Cardinals
By R.B. FALLSTROM | Associated Press | May 13, 08 11:07 PM CDT in
Sports
Ronny Paulino drove in the go-ahead run in a four-run 10th inning for his second crucial hit in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 8-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Troy Glaus hit a three-run home run and Albert Pujols tied it with his eighth in the eighth for the Cardinals, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. Pujols, who had a day off on Monday, also walked twice and has reached base in all 40 games.
It's the majors' longest streak at the start of the season since Derek Jeter's 53-game run in 1999 for the Yankees.
Adam LaRoche added a three-run double off Ron Villone (1-1) in the 10th for the Pirates, who have won seven of eight and are one game below .500.
Nate McLouth hit a two-run homer and Paulino, who entered in the second after catcher Ryan Doumit hurt his left thumb muffing a pitch on a passed ball in the first, had a game-tying double in the seventh.
Marino Salas (1-0) worked around three walks, one intentional, and escaped a bases loaded jam in the ninth to win in his major league debut. Salas, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Indianapolis earlier in the day, got Ryan Ludwick on a high fly to shallow right to end the ninth.
Villone, who entered with a 1.26 ERA, allowed four runs, four hits and two walks in the 10th. The Cardinals have lost six of seven.
Glaus' second homer of the season off Phil Dumatrait also provided his first RBIs this month to put the Cardinals ahead 4-3 in the sixth.
The Pirates also came up empty with the bases loaded in the ninth against Ryan Franklin, who retired pinch hitter Chris Gomez on an infield pop-up.
Glaus, who has four seasons with 37 or more homers, entered the game in a 3-for-30 slump. He singled in the fourth before his low liner barely cleared the wall in left-center in the sixth. Dumatrait limited the Cardinals to two hits in the first five innings, but got into trouble with walks to Brian Barton and Ludwick.
Lohse retired the first nine batters in order before Freddy Sanchez singled to open the fourth and McLouth followed with his 10th homer just inside the right-field foul pole. Lohse breezed through eight more hitters before the seventh.
Lohse, who looked like a mid-March free agent steal at $4.25 million for this season, has allowed 20 earned runs in 16 innings in three starts this month, and an overall 5.01 ERA.
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