6/30 Recap | Pirates 7 Cardinals 3

After an offensive explosion Friday night, the Pirates picked up right where they left off with a series win over the Cardinals. Jeff Karstens pitched for the Pirates and looked like the Jeff Karstens we saw last year, throwing seven strong innings, allowing only two runs on four hits. Tony Watson allowed a run in the eighth and Jared Hughes closed the game out, and collected his first career save.

With two outs in the first inning, Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones singled and Neil Walker followed with a walk to load the bases. It brought Pedro Alvarez up who absolutely crushed a 3-2 fastball over the right field wall for his second career grand slam and the Pirates first grand slam of the year. The Pirates scrapped up two more runs in the fifth as Neil Walker and Clint Barmes collected RBIs and Drew Sutton drove in Jose Tabata in the ninth inning.

A series win and a potential sweep opportunity against a division opponent is a beautiful thing. The Pirates play tomorrow at 2:15 and will head back to Pittsburgh to open up a four game series against the Houston Astros.