Yadier Molina’s Grand Slam Leads Cardinals To 9-7 Win Vs Pirates As St. Louis Matches NL Record

Yadier Molina smacked a grand slam to right field beyond PNC Park’s Clemente wall in the top of the first inning to lift the St. Louis Cardinals to a 9-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday night, while also writing his team into the National League record books.

Yadier Molina’s Grand Slam Leads Cardinals To 9-7 Win Vs Pirates

Molina’s grand slam– his first since 2012 and fourth of his career– pushed the Cardinals’ home run streak to 25 games, matching an NL record set by the Pirates earlier this season. If the team also homers in its next two games, it will tie the longest streak in Major League history, which was established by the Texas Rangers in 2002.

“Impressive,” manager Mike Matheny stated after being reminded of the streak following St. Louis’ come-from-behind win. “Once again, it shows the talent level, and the guys we have are taking good at-bats.”

Molina, who didn’t earn his first home run until May 21, has now hit seven this season. Three have come in the seven games he has played on this road trip, during which he has gone 13-for-29 (.448). He recorded four hits on Tuesday, thus increasing his season average to .296, the highest it has been since May.

The Puerto Rican catcher, who turned 34 during the All-Star break, has had a stellar second half. He’s hitting .364 with 21 extra-base hits since the midseason break.

“I’m just seeing the ball pretty good now,” Molina said. “When I hit the ball hard early in the season, it was right at people. Right now, they’re finding holes. I’m in great shape and a great point in my career. I feel good.”

The Pirates, who lost their eighth straight game, now sit 5 1/2 games behind the Cardinals in the Wild Card standings. The Cardinals remain half a game behind the Giants for the NL’s first wild card.

Starling Marte’s inefficient route turned into a leadoff triple by Kolten Wong. Following a one-out walk to Brandon Moss, Matt Adams hit a weak grounder that first baseman John Jaso was unable to turn into an out. Wong, who broke on contact, slid safely back into third before Jaso’s toss.

“I know with [Ryan] Vogelsong, it’s going to be in the strike zone,” said Molina, who hadn’t had a first-pitch home run this season. “I was ready to hit.”

With an NL-high 201 homers this season, the Cardinals are on track to break their franchise single-season record of 235, which they set in 2000.

Matt Carpenter, assigned a break Tuesday because Matheny worried about how heavily he wore three strikeouts on Monday, came off the bench to make history and tie the score with a two-out, pinch-hit homer in the ninth. Carpenter’s solo blast on an 0-2 pitch from Pittsburgh closer Tony Watson marked the first of three homers St. Louis hit that inning for a crazy comeback.

In 10 games at PNC Park last season, the Cardinals had 140 at-bats against Pittsburgh’s left-handed pitchers. They hit a total of five home runs. On Tuesday, they hit three against a left-hander in the span of four at-bats. Carpenter tied it up, Randal Grichuk added to it, and Jhonny Peralta capped it off.

Matheny admitted he was at a loss for words by the end of the game.

“There’s a whole lot that happened here,” Matheny said. “Speechless.”

The two teams will face off for their three-game series finale at PNC Park on Wednesday night. Right-hander Mike Leake, sidelined since Aug. 21 with shingles, will start for the Cardinals, (73-64, 2nd in NL Central) while rookie righty Jameson Taillon will take the mound for the Pirates (67-69, 3rd in NL Central).

PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 06: Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds third after hitting a grand slam home run in the first inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on September 6, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)