The Pirates won the final game of four in St. Louis, beating the Cards, 4-3. The win gave them three in the series and 11 in their last 13 games. It also brought them to within a game of the idle, first-place Giants.
Specs Meadows went the distance, giving up just seven hits and two earned runs. He largely stifled the Cards’ lineup except for their two big bats, Rogers Hornsby and Jim Bottomley, who combined for five of the hits.
The Pirates got on the board in the top of the first when Kiki Cuyler doubled with two out and Clyde Barnhart singled. Bottomley tied it, though, when he led off the bottom of the second with a home run to right.
Meadows and St. Louis starter Leo Dickerman kept the score 1-1 through the first five innings. The only real action came in the top of the fourth when the Bucs loaded the bases with one out, but Dickerman got Glenn Wright to hit into a double play.
The Pirates broke the tie in the top of the sixth. Eddie Moore reached on an error, stole second and came home on a two-out single by Barnhart.
The Cards, though came back with two in the bottom half to take a 3-2 lead. An error by Moore put leadoff man Ray Blades on. After an out, Hornsby, Bottomley and right fielder Max Flack all singled, the last two driving in runs.
Thanks to Dickerman’s wildness, the Pirates came back in the top of the seventh. Two singles and a ground out put runners at second and third. St. Louis elected to walk Earl Smith to get to Meadows, but Meadows walked, too, tying the game. After Max Carey popped up, Moore walked to force in another run and put the Pirates up, 4-3.
Meadows made the lead stand up. He retired the side in the seventh, then gave up just two-out singles to Bottomley and catcher Bob O’Farrell in the eighth and ninth, respectively.
Meadows is now 11-3. Barnhart had three hits. The Pirates come home for a three-game series against Cincinnati tomorrow, including a doubleheader Saturday.
