Dein erstes Forum » ST. LOUIS (AP) — Cardinals pitcher John

Gant got a new label from teammate Jose Martinez — power hitter.Harrison Bader and Gant hit back-to-back home runs Edwin Encarnacion Jersey , Gant pitched into the sixth inning and St. Louis beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-0 on Thursday night.“You hit one, you’re lucky,” Martinez said of Gant’s second blast of the season. “You hit a second one, you’re a power hitter.”The Cardinals have won 17 of 21 and took their tenth consecutive series, their longest series winning streak since 2009, when they also won ten in a row.“It’s an important thing,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “We want to get better as the game goes and we want to get better as the series goes. And if you take care of the series, the rest of it just falls into place.”Gant (6-5) pitched out of a bases-loaded situation in the first and a two-on, no-out jam in the third to win for the third time in his last four tries. He struck out six in 5 2/3 innings and has allowed one earned run in his last 12 2/3 innings.“It was a great team win, a great series win,” Gant said. “Another series win, and we’re going to try to keep on chugging.”Pirates starter Joe Musgrove (5-8) opened the game with 21 consecutive strikes, a first in the majors since pitch tracking began in 1988, according to Stats. That control didn’t do him much good, though. He gave up five runs in six innings.“I came out sharp but I didn’t keep my foot on the gas Andrew Miller Jersey ,” Musgrove said. “I didn’t keep going. That’s got to be done against a good lineup like that.”Musgrove’s strike streak ended with a first-pitch ball to Bader in the third, and two pitches later, Bader went deep to left. Gant then homered on a 2-1 pitch, giving St. Louis consecutive home runs for the seventh time this season.“I’m just trying to make contact and contact was made tonight,” Gant said.Gant tied Miles Mikolas for most home runs among St. Louis pitchers this season. After starting his career 0 for 30, Gant has homered twice in his last six at-bats. He is the third pitcher in the expansion era to have his first two career hits as home runs.Shildt said Gant put in a gutty performance.“He was making pitches,” Shildt said. “He missed a few spots and the guys made some plays, but John’s a really good competitor, he’s a mentally tough guy, so he was really just able to compete with what he had and used all his pitches.”Martinez singled and scored in the fourth and drove in two more with a single in the fifth to give the Cardinals a 5-0 lead. Martinez has hit safely in 20 of 25 games in August and has a team-high 18 multi-RBI games.“He was actually trying to mix in some pitches and he was throwing some different pitches than we were expecting,” Martinez said of Musgrove. “We just had to make the adjustments.”Pittsburgh lost for the seventh time in its last nine games. The Pirates stranded 12 runners and went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.“There was hard contact,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s not fair. There’s times when it’s not fair. You hit hard balls, you hit them right at people but you’ve just got to play man.”FACE IN THE CROWDSt. Louis Blues star Vladimir Tarasenko signed autographs on the field before the game.TRAINING ROOMCardinals: OF Marcell Ozuna (right shoulder inflammation) took batting practice Thursday and is on track to return from the 10-day disabled list when eligible on Sept. 1.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (10-9, 3.49 ERA) kicks off a three-game series on the road against the Atlanta Braves and RHP Anibal Sanchez (6-5, 3.05 ERA). Taillon has allowed three earned runs or fewer in his last 16 starts.Cardinals: LHP Austin Gomber (4-0 Tyler Naquin Jersey , 2.79 ERA) will open a three-game home series Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds and RHP Homer Bailey (1-12, 6.17 ERA). The Cardinals are 6-0 when Gomber starts. DENVER (AP) — Viewed as a power pitcher, Jon Gray always felt he needed to rely on strikeouts.He altered that thinking. This is Jon Gray: Version 2.0.Gray threw effectively into the seventh inning and Ian Desmond hit a two-run triple in the sixth, leading the Colorado Rockies to a 6-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.“Jon wasn’t as crisp as we’ve seen him, but yet he pitched into the seventh inning,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.All part of his change.He was sent to the minors earlier this season to hone his command and Gray returned a different pitcher. He doesn’t rely on his fastball as much as he placed more faith in his breaking pitches.“It’s more of a controlled aggression than being aggressive,” Gray explained. “I’m not trying to make it nasty and throw it under their bat. I’m trying to make a quality pitch that’s sharp, that’s in the strike zone, but keeping it out of the heart of the plate.”Gray (10-7) went 6 1/3 innings and allowed two runs before running out of steam and turning it over to the bullpen. He’s now 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA over seven starts since his recall from Triple-A Albuquerque.“I hit the reset button,” Gray said.After allowing a run in the first, Gray settled into a groove against a Padres team that was missing infielder Wil Myers after he was a late scratch. Myers sustained a cut on his nose when a grounder hit him in the face while he was fielding during batting practice.Padres manager Andy Green said after the game there was no concussion.“He definitely took a hard one off the face. I don’t know that he was ever pretty but he’s definitely not pretty right now,” Green said. “Probably down (Thursday) and hope we can get him back in rhythm in L.A.”Myers was scheduled to make his eighth start at third base as the Padres experimented with sliding the veteran first baseman across the infield. Instead, Cory Spangenberg moved to third and Jose Pirela played second.Rockies catcher Tony Wolters added an RBI triple and a run-scoring sacrifice fly for the rolling Rockies, who began the day 1 1/2 games behind NL West-leading Arizona.Jacob Nix (1-2) turned in a solid outing in his first career road start. He allowed three runs over five innings.“There’s still very much to like and a lot to look forward to,” Green said of his right-hander.The Rockies improved to 24-24 against teams with a losing record. In contrast http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-cody-allen-jersey , they’re 45-33 versus those at or above the .500 mark.“It shows you why you can’t sleep on anybody,” said Carlos Gonzalez, who had an RBI single in the first.TRAINER’S ROOMPadres: INF Christian Villanueva has a fractured finger and will be placed on the disabled list, Green said.ROSTER MOVEThe New York Yankees acquired catcher Chris Rabago off waivers from the Rockies and optioned him to Double-A Trenton. The move freed up a spot on the 40-man roster for the Rockies, which could potentially be used to add Matt Holliday. The slugger is currently hitting .346 with Triple-A Albuquerque.GONE TO THE DOGSIt was a “ruff” night as a parade of pooches made their way around the field before the game as part of a promotion called “Bark at the Park.”“This is the tail end of the dog days” of summer, Black joked. “This is the back end of the dog days.”TROUBLESOME INNINGSpangenberg had an RBI double in the first, which has turned into a problematic inning for the Rockies. The starting pitchers have allowed 110 runs in the opening inning this season.START OF SOMETHINGThe Rockies have now won each of Gray’s last nine starts. It matches Ubaldo Jimenez’s stretch in 2010 for the team’s longest win streak during a pitcher’s starts in franchise history.THIS & THATGray was cruising along, retiring 12 straight, before SS Freddy Galvis lined a solo homer in the seventh. … Desmond scored two runs and stole a base.UP NEXTPadres LHP Joey Lucchesi (6-7, 3.79 ERA) makes his fourth career start against Colorado on Thursday. The Rockies counter with LHP Kyle Freeland (11-7, 2.96). He’s 7-2 with a 2.22 ERA in 11 starts at home.