John Candelaria threw eight and a third innings of shutout ball as the Pirates topped St. Louis, 2-0. Kent Tekulve finished out the shutout. Ed Ott played a hand in both runs.
The Candy Man was in top form from the start. Through the first six innings, all he allowed was a one-out walk in the third and a two-out single in the fourth. In the seventh, the Cards got a leadoff single, but the Pirates turned a 4-6-3 double play. In the eighth, Candelaria gave up a pair of two-out singles, but got Garry Templeton on a grounder to end the inning.
Cards’ starter Bob Forsch was nearly as tough and the Pirates got only five hits in the game. They did, however, manage to scratch out a couple of runs.
In the bottom of the second, Bill Madlock walked with two out, stole second — his 27th steal of the year — and came home when Ed Ott singled. The Bucs didn’t get another runner until the fifth, when Ott tripled with one out. A single by Phil Garner brought him in to make it 2-0.
The lead held up until the ninth, when the Cards mounted their most serious threat. After a leadoff single and a popup, Ted Simmons doubled to put the tying runs in scoring position. Kent Tekulve came on to face Lou Brock and racked up a strikeout. Teke then retired Tony Scott to close the game out.
Candelaria is now 14-8 and Teke picked up his 27th save. Montreal won its fifth straight and 15th of 16, so the Bucs remain in first by half a game.
