ST. LOUIS (AP) — Michael Chavis hit a go-ahead grand slam as Pittsburgh overcame a three-run, third-inning deficit, and the Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-4 on Sunday for their first win this season.
Chavis made his first start of the season and homered off left-hander Steven Matz (0-1), who allowed seven runs and nine hits over three innings in his first start since signing a $44 million, four-year contract.
It was the second slam of Chavis' big league career. He finished a triple shy of the cycle.
Diego Castillo added three hits for the Pirates, a day after the 24-year-old got his first hit in his second big league game.
Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer in the first for St. Louis, which played its second straight game managed by bench coach Skip Schumaker, in charge while manager Oliver Marmol has the flu. Arenado has two homers and seven RBIs in three games.
Ke’Bryan Hayes, Kevin Newman and Jake Marisnick also had RBIs for the Pirates, who scored eight unanswered runs after falling behind 3-0 in the first.
Roberto Perez, Hayes and Bryan Reynolds singled in the third before Chavis' home run.
Miguel Yajure (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings. Bryse Wilson surrendered three runs in the opening inning before tossing three scoreless innings.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
The Cardinals won their challenge in the seventh inning when Tommy Edman was initially ruled out by first base umpire Dan Merzel after a grounder to shortstop. After a video review, crew chief Jim Reynolds announced the call had been overturned.
WELCOME TO THE BIGS
St. Louis RHP Andre Pallante pitched the seventh inning his big league debut and allowed two hits, including a run-scoring hit to Jake Marisnick. The Cal Irvine product was a fourth-round pick in the 2019 amateur draft.
UP NEXT
Pittsburgh RHP Zach Thompson (3-7, 3.24 last season) will face RHP Dakota Hudson (1-0, 2.08 ERA) in the final game of the four-game series on Monday afternoon. Thompson was acquired from Miami on Nov. 29. Hudson is 2-1 with a 3.90 ERA in nine appearances against the Pirates.
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