Hey, did you hear! The Cardinals hired Mike Shildt as their full-time manager today! Now  that we got that whole coach thing figured out, let’s go win a ball game! Woo!

Jack Flaherty is on the mound tonight and oh boy has he been hot! The Cardinals kick-off a six game homestead tonight with the first three being against the Pirates- the last time the the Cards and Bucco’s meet in 2018.

Lineups

Game Notes

• JOSE MARTINEZ! The Cardinals are out to a quick two-run lead after a shot to the Pirates bullpen from Jose. How ’bout that! That’s Martinez 74th and 75th RBI of the year.
• Flaherty throws a nine-pitch inning in the second.
• Jack gets a base hit to lead-off the bottom of the third but the Cardinals can’t do anything with out as Yadi grounds into an inning ending double play.
• Jack Flaherty has held the Pirates hitless through four innings of work. He was thrown 47 pitches- 37 of those being strikes thus far.
• TYLER O’NEILL! Another two-run bomb to left field and the Cards stretch their lead. That ball was CRUSHED.
• The Pirates load the bases for Matt Carpenter with two outs in the fourth. Ivan Nova’s night is over. Carpenter grounds out by the way, Cardinals up 4-0 through four.
• Francisco Cervelli strokes the first of the night for the Pirates in the fifth inning. The Pirates string a couple of hits together and the put a run on the board. 4-1 Cardinals.
• Jack Flaherty pitches seven strong innings. He gives up one run on five hits, strikes out five, walks zero on 88 pitches. We are seeing an ace grow right in-front of our very eyes.
• Jordan Hicks takes over in the eighth and walks the lead-off man. That leads to a Pirates run. He struggles to keep men off the bases and is pulled for Dakota Hudson.  Hudson gets the Birds out of the inning. 4-2 Cardinals with one inning to go.
• Jedd doubles off the top of the wall in the ninth, a ball that nearly left the yard. Greg Garcia adds some extra insurance with a base hit and the Cardinals are up 5-2.
• Bud Norris closes the door and the Cardinals win this one!
• The Cardinals extend their Wild Card lead to 1.5 games ahead of the Brewers.
• St. Louis improves to 74-58 on the season.

Miles Mikolas is on the hill tomorrow as the Cardinals will looks for their 10th straight series victory! Game time is 7:15 CST.