Pirates secure victory over Cubs, thanks to Liriano and Morneau's contributions
RevampedRecap: NL Central Showdown
Sunday, September 14, 2013 was a big day in the NL Central as the Cardinals and Pirates faced off against the Cubs and Mariners, respectively.
It all started in Pittsburgh, where Francisco Liriano put on a show, taking a no-hit bid into the seventh inning. However, he faltered in his first no-decision of the season, allowing the go-ahead run in the eighth to Justin Morneau, adding to the Pirates' lead and solidifying their win over the Cubs. This victory moved the Pirates alongside the Cardinals for the NL Central lead, and they continued their hot streak, winning six out of seven games.
Meanwhile, in St. Louis, the Cardinals remained tied with the Pirates after taking down the Mariners. Yadier Molina broke out of a slump in a big way, delivering a home run and three singles to lead the team. The Cardinals' rookie pitcher, Shelby Miller, also shone, giving up just one earned run in five innings and becoming the first St. Louis rookie to reach 14 wins since Dick Hughes in 1967.
Over in Milwaukee, the Brewers rallied to beat the Reds, thanks to Sean Halton's walk-off homer in the ninth inning. The win brought the Brewers closer to the NL Central crown, as they dealt a heavy blow to the Reds' pursuit of the title.
In Washington, the Nationals coasted to a win over the Phillies. Wilson Ramos dominated, racking up four hits and five RBIs. Everyone in the Nationals' starting lineup had at least one hit, keeping their playoff hopes alive as they continued to close the gap between themselves and the Reds for the second Wild Card berth.
Over in the NL West, the Giants dealt the Dodgers a blow, securing a win and bringing the magic number to clinch their first division title since 2009 down to four. Hunter Pence put on a show, hitting two home runs, and Brett Pill came through with a tiebreaking shot in the eighth.
Back in the East, the Diamondbacks cruised past the Rockies, thanks to Paul Goldschmidt's four-hit performance, which included a career-high five RBIs. Notably, Rockies star Todd Helton was absent from the game, marking his final season.
Lastly, the Padres bested the Braves, as Burch Smith struck out 10 in seven innings to earn his first major league victory. The Braves, who already had a comfortable lead in the division, continued to hold onto their spot, looking poised for another postseason appearance.
In the Eastern division, the Art of baseball was on display as Burch Smith of the Padres struck out 10 batters in his first major league victory, while Rockies legend Todd Helton sat out his final game, marking the end of an era. In the NL West, the Giants secured a key win over the Dodgers, bringing their magic number to clinch the division title down to four, with Hunter Pence and Brett Pill delivering critical homers. Meanwhile, over in the Washington East, the Nationals' Wilson Ramos delivered a dominant performance, racking up four hits and five RBIs, keeping their playoff hopes alive and narrowing the gap between themselves and the Reds for the second Wild Card berth. And in the news, the Milwaukee Brewers' Sean Halton hit a walk-off homer in the ninth inning to rally past the Reds, bringing them closer to the NL Central crown.
