COMON Network

By COMON Network Team

Final Score – St. Louis Cardinals (26-24) 5 def. Pittsburgh Pirates (15-38) 4

WP: Jack Flaherty (4-2) LP: Derek Holland (1-3) SV: Andrew Miller (3)

Once again, the Pirates’ bullpen let them down, as Pittsburgh fell 2-1 to the Cardinals Sunday evening at PNC Park. 

The Pirates drew first blood in the fourth on a sac fly by Colin Moran and held that lead until the seventh. Yadier Molina hit a two-run shot to put St. Louis in front. That was all the offense St. Louis got, and all they needed.  

Pittsburgh beings a four-game series with the first place Cubs tomorrow night at 7:05.  

COMON Network Team Commentary

KYLE DAWSON

• Both starters were really good. Flaherty and Musgrove both struck out 11 batters. For Joe Musgrove, that’s a new career high in his six innings of shutout work. Good thing he didn’t throw a 95th pitch though. Wouldn’t want to take the chance he gets hurt just to win a 16th game this year. Not worth it! I say that facetiously to a degree, but Musgrove was awesome. Again, I don’t understand pulling him when Derek Shelton did. It’s his penultimate start of the year. Let him go.
• Gregory Polanco 0-for-3 with 3 K’s? You don’t say!
• Was anybody actually watching this game today?
• The Pirates struck out 15 Cardinals today, and lost. That’s about par for the course this year.

Player of the Game – Joe Musgrove (PIT)

JOE SMELTZER

• If Derek Shelton is managing with the goal to tank this season, he’s doing a fantastic job. Obviously, he can’t admit that, however, so we are left to assume he just doesn’t know what he’s doing.   
• Shelton’s decision to pull Joe Musgrove at 84 pitches today, as well as his call to remove Mitch Keller when he was nine outs away from a no-hitter last night we both dumb, and inconsistent as well. If Shelton feels so strongly about saving arms, why was it ok for Steve Brault to throw a 110-pitch complete game Thursday night? Consistency is a virtue.  
• The Pirates should have won three of five games in this series and played spoiler in the National League playoff race. Instead, they lost four of five. That’s Shelton’s fault.

Player of the Game – Joe Musgrove (PIT)