Adams walks off Bucs

July 8, 2014

ST. LOUIS - After beating the team he grew up rooting for with his first career game-winning hit, Matt Adams couldn't resist a celebratory fist pump just a few steps out of the batter's box."This is unbelievable," Adams said after his two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the St. Louis Cardinals a 2-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series with the NL Central rival they beat in the division series last fall. "I don't even know what to say."Adams is from Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and starred at Slippery Rock College, ...

Cards on verge of sweep as Lynn baffles Pirates

July 10, 2014

By R.B. FALLSTROMAssociated PressST. LOUIS - Lance Lynn reached double figures in wins before the All-Star break for the third straight year and the St. Louis Cardinals are charging hard in the NL Central.Still, after they made it three straight over the Pittsburgh Pirates there was reason for some concern.All-Star catcher Yadier Molina sprained his right thumb on a slide and was taken out for a pinch-hitter in the third inning. He was undergoing an MRI as the Cardinals finished their 5-2 victory Wednesday night."I hope everything's all right," Lynn said. "You definitely don't want ...

Volquez deals Cards a 9-1 loss

July 11, 2014

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Edinson Volquez was expecting some pearls of wisdom from pitching coach Ray Searage before Thursday night's start at St. Louis."He came up to me and I figured we were going to go over their lineup, do some scouting," Volquez said. "But all he said was, 'Go out there and win.'"Volquez compiled with those simple instructions, tossing a complete game six-hitter to win his fourth straight start in a 9-1 victory.Neil Walker, Josh Harrison, Russell Martin and Andrew McCutchen all drove in two runs for Pittsburgh, which avoided being swept in the ...

Pirates blow 4-run lead in 6-5 loss to Reds

July 12, 2014

CINCINNATI - Brayan Pena's pinch-hit single in the eighth inning completed another late rally by the Reds, who overcame more injuries on Friday and beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-5 to keep their momentum going toward the All-Star break.Down 5-1 after six innings, the Reds scored twice with the help of third baseman Pedro Alvarez's throwing error in the seventh and added three more in the eighth. Cincinnati is 7-2 on its 11-game homestand leading into the break.Devin Mesoraco homered with two outs off left-hander Tony Watson (5-1) in the eighth, and the Reds put together four more ...

Clutch:

July 13, 2014

CINCINNATI (AP) - Andrew McCutchen tied the game with a solo homer in the ninth inning Saturday night, then connected again in the 11th inning, rallying the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.The Pirates blew a four-run lead for the second straight night, but managed to come back behind McCutchen, who has more homers against Cincinnati than anyone else since 2009.He tied it 5 in the ninth off Jonathan Broxton, filling in the closer's role because Aroldis Chapman had pitched four days in a row. He hit his 17th homer with two outs in the 11th off J.J. ...

Reds top Pirates

July 14, 2014

CINCINNATI - Kris Negron waited a long time for his first major league home run. When it came, he was in a hurry to celebrate with his teammates.Negron hit a three-run homer, All-Star Todd Frazier added a two-run shot and the Cincinnati Reds rolled into the break with a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.Called up from Triple-A Louisville on Thursday for his first appearance in the majors since playing four games in 2012, Negron hit an opposite-field homer to right off Francisco Liriano in the second inning.The RBIs were the first of his career, and the hit was his ...