Roansy Contreras started his final game of the season against the St. Louis Cardinals, and would’ve liked for it to have gone better.
Contreras could’ve used better defense, but he made it through three innings on 50 pitches. He gave up three runs in the first, one earned, after a Ben Gamel error to the first batter in the bottom of the first. Albert Pujols added his 702nd HR of his career in the third shortly after the Pittsburgh Pirates had taken the lead. Contreras would finish with no strikeouts in three innings, and four runs against, but only two earned.
Just after Gamel’s error lead to two unearned runs and a 3-0 deficit, he tied things up in the top of the 2nd with his 9th HR of the season.
Miguel Andujar put the Pirates ahead momentarily in the third 4-3, before the Pujols HR tied it in the bottom half.
Paul Dejong gave the Cardinals a lead in the fourth with an RBI double against Chase De Jong, who had replaced Contreras.
That lead was short lived as the Pirates offense added two in the fifth for a 6-5 lead on an Andujar RBI ground out, followed by a RBI single by Jack Suwinski.
That would be all the bullpen needed as four relievers combined for 4.1 shutout innings, capped off by David Bednar’s 19th save.
Bryan Reynolds hit a solo shot in the 7th for his 27th HR of the season and some insurance to give the Pirates a 7-5 lead.
The Pirates held on for their 60th win of the season and put off 100 losses for another day.
Cardinals @ Pirates
Time: 6:35 PM EST
Pirates Starter: Mitch Keller (5-12, 3.92)
Cardinals Starter: TBD
Keller Notes: This will be Mitch Keller’s 29th and final start of the season. He’ll be looking to finish off a solid 2022 campaign that solidified his position in the Pirates staff moving forward. Struggling with consistency over the majority of his career, Keller stepped up and showed he could be a useful piece for the future.
LINEUPS:
Pirates
Back in the Burgh.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/7AxNjKY4qT
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) October 3, 2022
Cardinals
1. Brendan Donovan (L) 2B
2. Lars Nootbaar (L) RF
3. Paul Goldschmidt (R) 1B
4. Nolan Arenado (R) 3B
5. Albert Pujols (R) DH
6. Corey Dickerson (L) LF
7. Dylan Carlson (S) CF
8. Andrew Knizner (R) C
9. Paul DeJong (R) SS
UPDATE: Mears joins Pirates
