Pirates grab early lead but can’t hold it in Monday’s loss to Cardinals

The most pivotal series of the season for the Pirates did not start out the way they wanted after a 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals Monday night at PNC Park.

The game was expected to be a pitcher’s duel, and it was for three innings, with starters A.J. Burnett and Kyle Lohse putting zeroes on the scoreboard.

The Pirates broke through in the fourth inning when Andrew McCutchen drove in his 79th run of the season. With Neil Walker a late scratch for the game, replacement Josh Harrison drove in another run giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

The Cardinals would strike back in the fifth inning to tie the game. Skip Schumaker opened the scoring for the Cardinals with a double to left-center. Then pitcher Lohse hit an RBI single.

The Pirates avoided giving up the lead when the Pirates used a relay throw to get Lohse out at the plate on Matt Carpenter’s drive to the wall in center.

But it would not end up being a momentum boost, as the Cardinals continued their onslaught when left fielder Matt Holliday hit an opposite-field homer in the sixth. The lead was extended to 4-2 later in the inning when catcher Yadier Molina’s sacrifice fly scored Allen Craig.

The Pirates were able to knock Lohse out of the game after five innings. Lohse threw 83 pitches before giving way to the bullpen.

The Pirates tried to make a comeback in the eighth inning and in the process Clint Barmes brought Josh Harrison home with an RBI double.

This forced the Cardinals to bring in closer Jason Motte, who got the final four outs for the Cardinals in picking up his 31st save.

The two teams will meet again at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday with Jake Westbrook getting the start for the Cardinals. He has a 13-9 record and a 3.67 ERA. James McDonald will start for the Pirates and brings an 11-5 record with an ERA of 3.73.

Notes: The Pirates bullpen was strong, accounting for 3 1/3 innings pitched, giving up three hits and three strikeouts along the way.