Cards stun Pirates with 3 HRs in 9th

PITTSBURGH — Down to their last strike, the Cardinals powered their way to an improbable ninth-inning comeback against Pirates closer Tony Watson, crushing three home runs and escaping with a dramatic 9-7 win.

With the Cards trailing by a run with two outs and nobody on in the ninth, Matt Carpenter blasted an 0-2 pitch from Watson to right-center field, tying the game. That shot silenced PNC Park, but it did not stop the Cardinals’ rally. Yadier Molina ripped a double to left, then Randal Grichuk launched a two-run homer to left. Jhonny Peralta followed with St. Louis’ third homer of the inning and fifth of the game, a solo shot to right-center.

All nine runs the Cardinals scored came via homers. They had last hit three home runs in the ninth inning on Oct. 1, 2006, when Albert Pujols, Chris Duncan and Scott Spiezio went deep in a loss.

“The home run has been the majority of our runs scored [all season], and we have so many guys who can hit it out of the park,” said Grichuk, who has hit 22 of the team’s NL-most 201. “It’s definitely fun seeing the other team thinking they had it and then taking it away from them.”

That brought an end to Watson’s night and extended the Pirates’ ill-timed losing skid to eight games, none of the losses more devastating than this one. Pittsburgh was one strike away from finally turning the tide; instead, the Bucs were left to digest another brutal defeat.

“Left a pitch middle-up, and [Carpenter] drove it. Terrible pitch, one you wish you had back,” Watson said. “It [stinks]. It [stinks] to sit here and be the losing pitcher on a night the guys fought back.”

Pittsburgh fell two games below .500 on the year and 5 1/2 games behind St. Louis in the National League Wild Card standings. With the Giants beating the Rockies on Tuesday night, the Cardinals remained a half-game behind San Francisco for the top NL Wild Card spot.

“We’re going to fight. We’re going to keep showing up,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “At the end of the day, Abner [Doubleday] was on to something when he figured out nine for this thing.”

• Watson loses late lead

The Bucs had put themselves in position to end their skid, overcoming a five-run deficit and entering the ninth inning with a lead. They handed the ball to Watson, who took over the closer’s role after Mark Melancon was traded in late July. Watson allowed three homers last season, but the Cardinals matched that in one inning on Tuesday night. The Cardinals finished with their fourth five-homer game of the year.

“I just love how this team competes, I really do. Right down to the last out,” said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, whose team has now won five games when trailing after eight. “It’s very rare to see teams consistently do that after they’ve had the wind taken out of their sails.”

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