Cardinals squander three-run lead, fall 10-6 to Pirates

ST. LOUIS — Josh Bell homered and drove in a career-high five runs and Adam Frazier hit a tiebreaking, pinch-hit double to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 10-6 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.

The Pirates scored five times in the seventh inning and twice in the eighth to rally from a 6-3 deficit. Pittsburgh has won six of eight, including the final three of its four-game series at St. Louis.

Paul Goldschmidt and José Martínez homered for the Cardinals, who have lost five of six and nine of 11.

Bell went 4-for-4, extending his hitting streak to a major league-best 12 games. He reached base five times, including an intentional walk, and is 20-for-49 (.408) during the streak with four homers and 16 RBIs.

Bell’s three-run homer off John Brebbia (1-2) in the seventh tied the game at 6-6. Francisco Cervelli, who had three hits, followed with a double, Melky Cabrera drew a walk and then Frazier smacked a two-run double to right.

Chris Stratton (1-2), acquired from the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday, worked a scoreless sixth for the win.

Brebbia (1-2) gave up three runs on three hits in one inning.

Colin Moran added two-run double in the eighth to conclude the scoring.

After the Pirates scored three times in the first, Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer of Steven Brault in the bottom half to start a four-run outburst.

Martínez, who went 3-for-5, had a two-run homer in the third. Bryan Reynolds made a leaping catch in the ninth to rob him of a possible second homer.

St. Louis starter Dakota Hudson gave up three runs on nine hits over six innings.

Brault, making his second start of the season, lasted 3 2/3 innings. He gave up six runs on nine hits.

Shildt on the #STLCards‘ struggles: “We have accountability to end results. We get it, I get it. It’s ultimately my responsibility to do the best we can for this club. I can confidently tell you this is a group that I have zero doubt about. It is an ebb and flow of the season.” pic.twitter.com/MlmsFEkY1I

— FOX Sports Midwest (@FSMidwest) May 12, 2019

FULL HOUSE

The crowd was announced at 48,555, the largest in the history of the new Busch Stadium, which opened in 2006. It was St. Louis’ fourth sellout of the season.

ON THE WAY BACK

Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martínez threw a scoreless inning on Friday for Triple-A Memphis. He has not given up a run in three rehab appearances covering three innings. Martínez has not pitched in the majors this season because of a right shoulder cuff strain.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Nick Burdi was transferred to the 60-day injured list. He has pain in his right biceps.

Cardinals: INF Matt Carpenter was held out of the starting lineup for a day of rest. He walked as pinch-hitter in the eighth.

UP NEXT

Pirates: RHP Nick Kingham (1-0, 5.94 ERA) will start in the opener of a three-game series at Arizona on Monday night. Kingham, who has nine appearances as a reliever and one as a starter this season, is 5-7 in 16 lifetime starts.

Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (3-3, 4.32) will face Atlanta RHP Mike Foltynewicz (0-2, 5.94) as the teams begin a three-game series Tuesday. The Cardinals were shut out in each of Flaherty’s last two starts.