Trade Deadline acquisition allows 5 runs (4 earned), fans 6
in 4 1/3 IP; Frazier hits go-ahead RBI single in 8th
For all the buzz around PNC Park on Friday night, Chris Archer didn't
dominate in his Pirates debut. But he still found a way to energize the crowd,
and the Bucs found a way to win.
Archer allowed five runs (four earned) over 4 1/3 innings in
his Pittsburgh debut, a 7-6 win over the Cardinals. The Pirates' Trade Deadline
prize wasn't particularly sharp, but the home crowd of 26,773 nonetheless
expressed its support and appreciation to have him on board during Pittsburgh's
postseason push with a standing ovation as he left the game in the fifth
inning.
Archer's debut may not have gone as planned, but the Pirates
gave him a good look at how they've battled to win 17 of their last 22 games.
They stranded 16 Cardinals runners, cut down three on the basepaths and sent
out five relievers who combined to allow only one run in 4 2/3 innings.
Pittsburgh's deep lineup delivered, too. Starling Marte had
three hits, Gregory
Polanco drove in three runs, and Adam Frazier led
the way from atop the order. Frazier capped a three-hit night with the
game-winning single in the eighth off hard-throwing reliever Jordan Hicks.
Archer hit all the right notes in the days and minutes
leading up to his start. He wore an Antonio Brown jersey to the ballpark on
Wednesday, his first day with his new club. He talked about his father working
a "blue-collar" job, his mother's Steelers fandom and his affection
for Andrew
McCutchen that prevented him from accepting the Pirates'
No. 22 jersey.
As he walked out to the bullpen around 6:30 p.m. ET on
Friday, Archer high-fived fans down the left-field line and tipped his cap to
those in the left-field bleachers. He took the mound just before 7:05 p.m.,
warming up to Pittsburgh native Wiz Khalifa's "Black And Yellow," as
promised.
But Archer's moment was quickly spoiled by Matt Carpenter,
who launched his third pitch as a Pirate to center field for a home run. The
leadoff hitter reached safely in all five innings against Archer, who was
admittedly amped up after a "pretty wild, pretty hectic" week.
Archer ran into trouble in the second inning but finished
with a flourish. He gave up one run then found himself with the bases loaded and
one out. When Archer ran up a full count against Yadier Molina, the
crowd roared to life. Archer fired a slider, up and away, and Molina went down
swinging. The crowd once again came to life with two strikes against the next
hitter, Paul DeJong.
Archer unleashed a slider in the strike zone, and DeJong whiffed to end the
inning.
Archer screamed and bounced off the mound, pumping his fist as
the fans shouted along with him.
But things unraveled in the fifth, in part due to
Pittsburgh's defense behind Archer. After Archer walked DeJong, shortstop Jordy Mercer booted
a potential double-play grounder. Marte then lost sight of Tyler O'Neill's fly
ball to center, and left fielder Frazier's diving attempt was too late. Gyorko
and Dexter Fowlerlaced
RBI singles, making it a two-run game and ending Archer's outing, and another
run scored when Jose Martinez grounded
out against reliever Edgar Santana.
MOMENTS THAT
MATTERED
SHORT SWING, BIG HIT: Frazier struggled out of the gate this
season, hitting just .237 before the Pirates optioned him to Triple-A on June
10. He was called up, sent down and called back up again -- but the way he's
hitting now, he might be here to stay.
After Kyle Crick gave
up the game-tying run in the eighth, Pittsburgh put men on first and second
with two outs. Up came Frazier, who slapped an inside, 101.4-mph sinker from
Hicks up the middle to bring home Josh Harrison. It was
Frazier's third hit of the day and his 10th in 22 at-bats since rejoining the
Pirates on July 25.
SOUND SMART
Closer Felipe
Vazquez, the reigning National League Reliever of the Month for
July, picked up his 25th save by pitching a scoreless ninth. Vazquez set the
single-season club record for most saves by a left-handed pitcher, breaking his
tie with Mike Gonzalez (24 in 2006).
YOU GOTTA READ
THIS
Polanco contributed offensively in the first inning with a two-run triple off
the right-field wall, but his finest moment on Friday night came in the field.
With Carpenter on second and two outs in the seventh, DeJong hit a single to
right field off new Pirates reliever Keone Kela. Polanco
gloved the ball after one bounce and fired a 97-mph missile -- Hurdle called it
a "rocket throw" -- that took a quick hop to catcher Francisco
Cervelli, who easily tagged out Carpenter to preserve
Pittsburgh's one-run lead.
TRAINER’S ROOM
CARDINALS: RF Fowler (left foot contusion) left the game in the eighth inning. …
LF Marcell Ozuna (left big toe discomfort) returned to the lineup after leaving
Thursday’s win over Colorado. … 2B Kolten Wong (left knee inflammation) is
expected to be activated from the disabled list Saturday. … RHP Adam Wainwright
(right elbow inflammation) will join the team Monday in Miami and throw a
bullpen session. If that goes well, he will start a rehab assignment with Class
A West Palm. … LHP Brett Cecil (right foot inflammation) is scheduled to begin
a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Monday. … RHP Luke Gregerson (right
shoulder impingement) will be examined by Dr. James Andrews sometime next week
in Gulf Breeze, Florida.
PIRATES: Triple-A Indianapolis INF Jung Ho Kang, who finished third in the NL
Rookie of the Year voting in 2015, underwent surgery to debride his
left wrist. … RHP AJ Schugel (right shoulder discomfort) began a rehab
assignment with Class A Bradenton and threw 19 pitches. … RHP Nick Burdi (right
elbow surgery) had his rehab assignment stopped at Double-A Altoona because of
a strained left quadriceps muscle.
ROSTER MOVES
PIRATES: RHP Keone Kela was added to the roster and RHP Doyvdas Neverauskas
was recalled from Indianapolis while LHP Steven Brault and RHP Nick Kingham
were optioned to the Triple-A club.
Kela who pitched
one scoreless inning, was acquired Tuesday in a trade with the Texas Rangers.
Kingham lost his rotation spot with the addition of Archer.
CARDINALS: RHP Greg Holland was released after clearing waivers and LHP Tyler
Lyons accepted an outright assignment to Memphis. Holland, who tied for the NL
lead in saves last season with 41 for Colorado, had a 7.92 ERA in 32 games
after being signed to a $14-million, one-year contract.
UP NEXT
CARDINALS: Rookie LHP Austin Gomber (1-0, 3.22 ERA) will make his second career
start Saturday night. He is moving from the bullpen to replace RHP Carlos
Martinez (strained right shoulder).
PIRATES: RHP Ivan Nova (6-6, 4.33) is 4-1 with a 3.59 ERA in nine starts since
being activated from the disabled list. He was out from May 25-June 9 with a
sprained right ring finger.
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