Yairo Munoz hit a walk-off, three-run homer Thursday to cap a five-run ninth inning and give the St. Louis Cardinals a 10-8 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
The rookie shortstop doubled his career RBI total by knocking in five runs.
The Cardinals, who blew an early 4-0 lead, entered the ninth trailing 8-5 against Pittsburgh closer Felipe Vazquez (2-2). Harrison Bader led off with a double, and Tommy Pham reached on an error. Pinch hitter Marcell Ozuna walked to load the bases. Pinch hitter Luke Voit drove in two with a single to make it 8-7.
Munoz followed with his second homer, a blast to center.
The Pirates have lost 10 of their past 13.
Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty gave up four runs (three earned) and seven hits in five innings, with five strikeouts and no walks. Mike Mayers (2-0) pitched a perfect 1 1/3 innings.
Pittsburgh right-hander Trevor Williams allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings.
St. Louis batted around in the first and took a 4-0 lead. Matt Carpenter and Bader singled, and an out later, Jose Martinez walked to load the bases. Dexter Fowler followed with a two-run single to right, and Munoz smacked a two-run double down the line in right.
The Pirates got one back in the second on Jordy Mercer's bloop RBI single to make it 4-1, and they got another in the fourth on Gregory Polanco's RBI double, making it 4-2.
In the fifth, Josh Bell hit his fourth homer, a two-run shot just clearing the wall in right-center to pull Pittsburgh into a 4-4 tie.
The Cardinals came right back in their half of the fifth to move back ahead 5-4 on Greg Garcia's soft, two-out RBI single to center.
Polanco hit his second RBI double of the game in the eighth for a 5-5 tie. With one out, pinch hitter Adam Frazier walked. Josh Harrison's fly to right advanced the runners to second and third. Cardinals closer Bud Norris came on, and Francisco Cervelli set a career best with his eighth homer, just clearing the wall in left to make it 8-5.
--Field Level Media