Joel Pineiro is now 4-0 after going 6.2 innings in which he induced Atlanta into 13 ground ball outs as the Cardinals start this road trip out with a 3-2 win in Atlanta Monday night.
Pineiro got just enough offense as the Cards scored single runs in the first, second and seventh innings. Rick Ankiel was 2 for 4 with two runs driven in and Chris Duncan drove in his 13 th of the season when he singled home Skip Schumaker in the first of Braves’ starter Jair Jurrens.
Kyle McClellan worked out of a bases loaded, two out jam in the bottom of the eighth when he got Casey Kotchman , who was 3 for 3 before that at-bat, to fly to right. Albert Pujols had a chance to blow the game open in the ninth with the bases loaded and two outs and after fouling off several 3-2 pitches, flew out to left. Ryan Franklin then came on to close out the game for his sixth save. He has yet to allow an earned run
Pineiro had great command of his pitches. He gave up seven hits, but he didn’t walk a batter. His one bit a trouble was in the seventh when he gave up a single to Chipper Jones and then Kotchman followed with a double to start the inning. Down 3-1, the Braves managed just a sac fly run before Pineiro got his lone strikeout on the night getting Brandon Jones to go down swinging. Then, with the tying run still at second, Chris Perez came in struck out David Ross to end the Braves’ threat.