Munoz’s HR in 5-run 9th lifts Cards over Pirates

ST. LOUIS — Yairo Munoz hit a walk-off three-run home run as the St. Louis Cardinals scored five runs in the ninth inning to pull out a 10-8 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on a bizarre Thursday night at Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals went into the ninth down 8-5 and sent five hitters to the plate against Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez, and all of them scored.

Harrison Bader led off with a double to left, followed by Tommy Pham reaching on an error by third baseman Sean Rodriguez. Marcell Ozuna walked to load the bases and pinch hitter Luke Voit, just up from Memphis, singled to left to drive in two runs, making it 8-7. On the first pitch to Munoz, he hit his second home run of the season, landing it on the lawn above center field. It was the sixth walkoff victory for the Cardinals this season.

It was a sudden reversal for the Cardinals, who looked as if they were going to lose a game they had led 4-0 and 5-4. Starter Jack Flaherty couldn’t hold on to a 4-0 lead and then the Cardinals bullpen couldn’t protect a 5-4 lead.

It looked like the crushing blow would be a three-run home run by Pittsburgh’s Francisco Cervelli off reliever Bud Norris in the eighth. Norris was tasked with getting the final four outs after Jordan Hicks had gotten out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh but got into trouble in the eighth, letting the game get tied on an RBI double by Gregory Polanco. The Pirates had runners on second and third with two out when Mike Matheny brought in Norris, who gave up a home run that just cleared

the wall in left field.

The Cardinals scored four times in the first inning, but couldn’t hold the lead as the Pirates tied the game in the fifth on a two-run home run by Josh Bell. The Cardinals came back to retake the lead in the bottom of the inning on a one-out double by Dexter Fowler and a two-out single by Greg Garcia.

Flaherty went only 5 innings, allowing 4 runs while striking out 5 and walking none. That meant four innings for the bullpen to cover, which hasn’t always been the safest proposition. The bridge to Norris was Tyler Lyons (2/3 of an inning), John Brebbia (2/3) and Hicks (11/3). After Norris gave up the home run, Mike Mayers, just back from Memphis, was called on to close things out and ended up getting the win.