Cardinals still winless after 5-1 loss to Pirates in series finale
PITTSBURGH -- After a pair of losses to open the season in Pittsburgh, the St. Louis Cardinals turned to Mike Leake in hopes he could pitch them to their first win of 2016.
It was a good bet, considering Leake last lost a decision to the Pirates in 2012. However, even his superb track record against Pittsburgh wasn't enough to get his new team a win.
Leake didn't make it through the fifth inning, giving up four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3, and the Pirates completed a three-game sweep of the Cardinals with a 5-1 victory Wednesday night.
"I couldn't hit my spots," Leake said. "I couldn't throw strikes, I was just erratic so I have stuff to work on."
The right-hander signed a five-year, $80 million deal with St. Louis over the winter and returned to the NL Central after Cincinnati traded him to San Francisco last season. With the Reds, Leake was 8-3 with a 3.01 ERA against the Pirates over 24 starts.
But in his Cardinals debut, Leake (0-1) noticed the Pirates seemed more in control in the batter's box than he was on the mound. Leake needed 42 pitches to make it through the first inning alone as Pittsburgh showed increased patience in its at-bats against him.
"They fouled the outside pitch away pretty well," Leake said. "Normally they're either taking it or pounding it into the ground. I did see some changes (in their approach)."
He responded with a six-pitch second inning after Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had a reliever up in the bullpen during the first inning.
The rocky start caught up to Leake in the fifth when the Pirates tagged him for three runs and chased him from the game. John Jaso led off with a triple and scored on Kolten Wong's throwing error before Francisco Cervelli lined a two-run double to left for a 4-0 Pirates lead.
St. Louis rookie Jeremy Hazelbaker hit his first career home run leading off the sixth, but Sean Rodriguez responded with a RBI double in the home half of the sixth.
Like Adam Wainwright, who struggled to find command of his curveball Sunday, Matheny saw the adverse effects of pitching in cold weather during Leake's outing.
"For whatever reason, whenever you head north you have adjustments to make," Matheny said. "Balls are just off and putting you in tough counts, then tough counts put you on the big part of the plate or it gives free bases and there was a few walks in there."
Juan Nicasio gave up one run and two hits while striking out seven and walking none in his debut for Pittsburgh. Signed to a $3 million, one-year contract as a free agent in the offseason, Nicasio (1-0) pitched 15 scoreless innings during spring training with 24 strikeouts.
"I'm just coming to the field and doing everything I can to help my team win," Nicasio said. "I'm not thinking too much. I'm just trying to take it batter-by-batter, pitch-by-pitch, trying to get each hitter out."
Pittsburgh, 3-0 for the first time since 2007, was 98-64 last season but finished two games behind the Cardinals (100-62) in the NL Central and lost to the Chicago Cubs in the NL wild-card game.
MOLINA MAKES HISTORY
C Yadier Molina's 1,439th game caught tied the Cardinals record set by Ted Simmons from 1968-80. Molina, who broke into the major leagues in 2004 with St. Louis, has won eight consecutive Gold Gloves and been selected to seven All-Star Games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cardinals: LHP Marco Gonzales, a first-round draft pick in 2013, will begin the season on the disabled list at Triple-A Memphis with elbow discomfort. He is expected to get a second opinion with a visit to orthopedist Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Thursday or Friday in Los Angeles. Gonzales pitched in 11 games for the Cardinals over the last two seasons, six of which were starts, and was 4-2 with a 4.82 ERA.
Pirates: 3B Jung Ho Kang (recovering from reconstructive left knee surgery) played five innings Wednesday in a minor league intrasquad game in Bradenton, Florida, and had four at-bats, though he was limited to running only to first base. ... RHP Jared Hughes (strained left lat) threw off the slope of the mound at Bradenton and is expected to throw off the top of the mound in the next few days.
NEXT
Cardinals: LHP Jaime Garcia (10-6 with a 2.43 ERA last year) is to start Friday at Atlanta, which goes with RHP Matt Wisler (8-8, 4.71 ERA).
