ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals scored in the bottom of the 14th inning to pull out another walk off win over the Pirates, 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Kolten Wong hit a home run with one out to right field to win it. It was his second home run of the season and his second career walk-off home run, the other also coming against the Pirates.
“Wow,” said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny after the 4 hour, 28 minute game. “I think that’s all I’ve got. Wow.”
The Cardinals won three straight extra-inning games for the first time since 2006, when they beat the Astros twice and then the Dodgers once. The last time the Cardinals had three straight extra-inning walk-offs was in 2000, when they beat the Dodgers once and then the Giants twice. This was the first time the Cardinals had three straight extra-inning walk-off wins against the same opponent.
The Cardinals have won six straight.
“I love how they just keep playing,” Matheny said. “We’d like obviously to see more offense. I just love the fight I’m seeing.”
Miguel Socolovich pitched the 14th, retiring the side in order to get his first major-league win.
The Cardinals had fallen behind in the top of the 12th on a home run by Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez. But in the bottom of the 12th, the Cardinals got a single from Yadier Molina, who was forced at second by Pete Kozma. Kozma went to third on a single by Kolten Wong. After a walk to Jon Jay loaded the bases, Peter Bourjos hit a hard grounder to third that Josh Harrison made a diving stop on, deflecting the ball into foul territory. Kozma scored and the bases remained loaded. Matt Holliday went to a 3-1 count against reliever Radhames Liz before striking out swinging. Matt Adams then hit a hard grounder to first that Alvarez stopped and threw to Liz to end the inning.
The Pirates had lost the first two games of the series in extra innings, losing on Friday night in 10 innings and on Saturday night in 11 innings. Alvarez hit the homer off of reliever San Tuivailala, who was called up from Memphis on Sunday morning when Jordan Walden was put on the disabled list.
The Cardinals got a runner to third with two out in the 11th, but pinch hitter Tony Cruz, the Cardinals last position player, popped out to shallow center.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead into the ninth when third baseman Jung Ho Kang hit the first pitch he saw from Trevor Rosenthal for his first major-league home run to tie the game.
Matt Carpenter hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead and Michael Wacha pitched6 2/3 shutout innings before handing off to a procession of relievers to push the game into the ninth.
Carpenter hit a 3-2 pitch just over the wall in center field for his fourth home run of the season. The third baseman, who is hitting .364, left the game after the seventh inning because of light-headedness. He said after the game he was just a little dehydrated and he would be ready to go on Monday.
The Pirates, one day after stranding 18 runners in an 11-inning loss, left 13 on base on Sunday. Wacha allowed five hits, with two strikeouts and two walks.
Wacha was followed in the game by Randy Choate, Matt Belisle and Kevin Siegrist, who kept the Pirates off the board before Rosenthal had his first blown save of the season. He had eight saves in eight opportunities.
Prior to Kang’s homer, the Pirates got one runner to third base, Starling Marte in the fourth with two out, before Kang grounded out to end the inning. Three other times they got runners to second.
The Cardinals didn’t have a whole lot of scoring opportunities. Wacha doubled with two out in the third and finished the inning there. Jon Jay got to second with two out in the sixth but couldn’t come around to score.
Also, Mike Matheny announced that Tyler Lyons would be the starting pitcher on Tuesday in what used to be Adam Wainwright’s spot in the rotation.