Sportsman's Park, St. Louis
Roe vs Wilks
St. Louis 19 Pittsburgh 8
The weather was hot in St. Louis which was not good for the pitchers as the ball was flying all over Sportsman's Park. Totals of 27 runs and 32 hits made it an exciting game for the fans but proved a drain on each teams bullpens. The Pirates were leading the Cards 7-3 entering the bottom of the 6th when the Redbirds exploded for 7 runs and then added 5 more in the 7th and 4 in the 8th to win the opener 19-8. The Cardinals had 4 players with 3 or more hits lead by Danny Litwhiler with 4 including his 5th homerun and adding 6 more RBI to his already leading total. Walker Cooper had 3 hits and 4 RBI, Johnny Hopp had 3 hits and scored 4 runs and "Stan the Man" contributed 3 doubles while scoring 4 runs and 2 RBI and raising his Major League leading average to .411. For the Pirates, Johnny Barrett had 3 hits, scored 3 runs and added 4 SB to his Major League leading total. Babe Dahlgren also had 3 hits. All in all, just another day at the ballpark!!
Sportsman's Park, St. Louis
Strincevich vs Lanier
Pittsburgh 11 St. Louis 1
St. Louis fans came to the game hoping to see more of the previous day's offensive display but were sadly disappointed. The Cards must have used up their entire arsenal the night before because on this day they could only muster up 3 hits and one run both representing their lowest game totals of the season. This time it was Pittsburgh that had the late inning offense explosion turning a 3-1 9th inning lead into a 11-1 final as they scored 8 in the final frame. Pirates starter, Nick Strincevich mixed his pitches up all game and had the usually high powered Cardinals off stride all day as he tossed a complete game. Vince DeMaggio was the hitting star for the Pirates as he had 2 triples, a homerun and 3 RBI.
Sportsman's Park, St. Louis
Ostermueller vs Brecheen
Pittsburgh 5 St. Louis 0
If Fritz Ostermueller isn't the best pitcher in the Major Leagues this year than who is? The undefeated southpaw came into the game leading the league in wins and ERA and then proceeded to completely shutdown the St. Louis offense tossing a complete game and shuting out the Cards for the first time this season. If there is one day this season that St. Louis would like to forget this is the one. After being 3 hit in the first game of the doubleheader Ostermueller does the same in the nightcap as he lowered his ERA to a sparkling 1.31 and raising his record to 6-0. The 3 runs that the Pirates scored in the top of the 9th were just icing on the cake for Ostermueller as the outcome was never in doubt. Pittsburgh takes game 2 of the doubleheader 5-0.
Sportsman's Park, St. Louis
Sewell vs Munger
St. Louis 9 Pittsburgh 8 (13 Innings)
After a very rough two games the previous day, St. Louis finally got untracked to build a comfortable 6-2 lead after 7. However, by game 4 the Cards bullpen was tired and decimated. The Pirates scored once in the 8th to draw within 3 and after setting St. Louis down in the bottom of the inning Pittsburgh entered the 9th with their last chance to tie or take the lead. After giving up a lead off single to Lloyd Waner, Red Munger was pulled in hopes that the beleagured bullpen could muster enough stamina to get the final 3 outs. Al Jurisich was given the task but he immediately gave up a single followed by a SF to make the score 6-4. Jurisich then gave up another single and was pulled in favor of Bud Byerly. After Pete Coscarart stole second, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd, Byerly got Frank Coleman to line out to second. Down to their last out, the Cards elected to pitch to Jim Russell who already had 3 hits rather than put him on base as the winning run. Byerly got 2 quick strikes on Russel before he singled to right center to tie the game at 6. Dahlgren then struck out and St. Louis went down in the 9th. Somehow both bullpens kept the other team off the board for 3 innings. Freddy Schmidt was the Redbirds last pitcher and had come on in the 10th. He had thrown 63 pitches in game 1 and now was forced to go 2 days later. Schmidt finally ran out of steam in the 13th giving up 2 runs for an 8-6 Pittsburgh lead. Pittsburgh has suffered all year from a poor bullpen and so it was to be again. Whitey Kurowski worked a walk to lead off the inning and Ray Starr came on to try to get the final 3 outs. He got the first one but Marty Marion singled putting runners on 1st and 3rd. Emil Verban than lined out to first and the Pirates were within 1 out of handing St. Louis their first losing series of the season. Cookie Cuccurullo replaced Starr and Ken O'Dea pinch hit for Schmidt and singled to left center to make the score 8-7. The Pirates intentionally walked Hopp to load the bases. Walker Cooper than lined a double of the left field wall to drive in 2 and win the game 9-8 as the Cards got a hard earned split with the very tough Pittsburgh team.
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