RECAP - Pirates - 5 / Cardinals - 4

Melancon & the "Shark Tank" Shut Down
The Cardinals

Pittsburgh Pirates - 5
St. Louis Cardinals - 4

WP - Watson
LP - Rosenthal

Lets be straight up about last night's game.  I wasn't alone (a lot of people on Twitter thought the same thing) in my thoughts that the Pirates could certainly drop this game.  Winning 3 in a row, coming off a double header, the emotion that was in the ball park the previous 2 nights...this game could have easily gone to the "Red Birds".  Even the start of the game seemed to follow that same thinking as Jeff Locke uncharacteristically gave up 2 first inning runs.  Locke didn't have his usual control and gave up season highs in runs allowed (4) and hits allowed (10) in only 4 short innings of work.  Here is the difference between the Pirates of 2013 and the Pirates of yester year.  When the Cards jumped out to a 2-0 lead, the Pirates answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning making it 2-1.  When the Cardinals pulled ahead 3-1, Neil Walker crushed a HR to RF making it 3-2.  Locke gave the run right back making it 4-2, and the Pirates just simply wouldn't go away.  It wasn't a good night for the Pirates starter, but the Pirates bull pen sure knows how to pick up a teammate.  Vin Mazzaro, Tony Watson, and Mark Melancon (in that order) came in and shut down the game pitching 4 scoreless innings and allowing the Pirates to...hold your breath...manufacture runs that would lead to Russell Martin's game winning hit that drove in Neil Walker to make it 5-4.

When "the biggest series in PNC Park History" was billed, most Pirates fans (like myself) saw 3 of 5 as a damn good series.  Well, its 4 of 4 as we stand heading into tonight's night cap, and a clean sweep is certainly in reach.  The Pirates bats have been surprisingly clutch this series, and that will need to continue tonight for their winning streak, and the sweep of the Cardinals, to continue.

Pirates now have a 2.5 game lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central Standings, improving their overall record to 65-42.

HIGHLIGHT VIDEO LINK - http://wapc.mlb.com/play?content_id=29323727

Pirates vs. Cardinals - 7:05 - Morton vs. Kelly
Pirates vs. Rockies - 7:05 - Cole vs. Chacin
Pirates vs. Rockies - 7:05 - Liriano vs. De La Rosa
Pirates vs. Rockies - 1:35 - Burnett vs. Dicasio