RECAP - Pirates - 7 / Cardinals - 1

AJ Burnett Was Back On His Game vs the Cardinals

Pittsburgh Pirates - 7
St. Louis Cardinals - 1

WP - AJ Burnett
LP - Lynn

The Pittsburgh Pirates have shown up in a big way for this St. Louis series, and it couldn't have come at a better time.  All you need to know is this...in 18 innings, the Pirates have held the St. Louis Cardinals to 1 run.  ONE run.  The team that has over a +100 run differential has been held to 1 run in 2 games.  To me, I could say that over and over again...because the Pirates Number 1 and Number 2 pitchers (Francisco Liriano and AJ Burnett) have shut the door on the Red Birds bats and have had run support to boot.  This Pirates team is playing some great baseball...and it almost makes you forget about how poorly they were playing leading up to this series.  It is almost as if the Pirates simply "get up" for the Cardinals and Reds and not against the Brewers and Cubs, but the same focus for the Cardinals that the Pirates display will be needed for all opponents down the stretch if they want to accomplish their first division title since 1992.

Last night almost everything went right, and not much went wrong.  Burnett pitched 7 strong innings, giving up 4 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts.  That is Burnett at his best.  Staying ahead of batters, working his cutter, and in control of every at bat.  Its this AJ Burnett the Pirates desperately need in their starting rotation while the Pittsburgh starting pitching seems in shambles.  With Jeff Locke optioned to AA Altoona, not only is there a gaping hole in the rotation, but starter Gerrit Cole has left the club praying Wandy Rodriguez can return at some point is season.  Regardless of the "others", if Liriano and Burnett can withstand their current pace this rotation will have two anchors that will give them the best chance of winning every day.

The Pirates offense was clicking on all cylinders again as the Pirate batters not names McCutchen came through again.  "Cutch" was held hitless, but his boys picked him up,  Jose Tabata, Neil Walker, and Marlon Byrd all registered multi-hit games, and even AJ Burnett helped his own cause at the plate with a 2 out single that scored a run.  This is the Pirates team that should scare opposing managers as the season dwindles to a close.  This is the Pirates team that should have opposing teams wondering if they'd want to face them at all in the postseason.  Either way, this Pirates team is fully capable of not only crushing "the streak", but making this a season to remember for all Pirates fans everywhere