PITTSBURGH -- For his first start with the Pirates, Edinson Volquez beat Adam Wainwright.
Ji-man Choi Rays Jersey . Thatll do nicely as an early return on that off-season contract he signed with the Pirates. Tony Sanchez hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Sunday. Singed to a one-year, $5 million contract as a free agent in December, Volquez was sharp in his first start for the Pirates as he gave up one run and three hits in 5 2-3 innings with one walk and four strikeouts. That came after Volquez pitched two scoreless innings of relief Thursday against the Chicago Cubs. "What you saw was fastball command with downhill angle, big-time spin and tilt on the breaking ball, a good changeup and getting ahead with good pitches," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "He pitched a gem." Volquez got a standing ovation when he walked off the mound. "I think I did a great job and the fans appreciated what I did," Volquez said. "I just wanted to keep making another good pitch, keep the ball down and get them to hit the ball on the ground. All my pitches were there." Sanchezs double to deep centre field with two outs came off Wainwright (1-1) and snapped a 1-1 tie. "Im still nervous playing up here," Sanchez said. "My heart is racing. My head is spinning. It feels like the game is going 1,000 mph. So, its nice to be able to get some big hits." The hit by the rookie reserve catcher scored Pedro Alvarez, who led off the inning with a walk, and was Sanchezs second winning hit of the week as he singled home the winning run in the 16th inning of Wednesday nights victory over the Chicago Cubs. "I cant let what happen in the seventh inning happen, especially in a close game, a rivalry game like this," Wainwright said. "I walked the leadoff man then left a ball out over the plate with two outs and Sanchez took a good swing at it. You cant do that." Tony Watson (1-0) retired all four batters he faced, striking out three, and ran his string of consecutive scoreless innings to 24, dating to last season. Jason Grilli pitched a scoreless ninth to convert his first save. St. Louis managed just three hits. Singed to a one-year, $5 million contract as a free agent in December, Volquez was sharp in his first start for the Pirates as he gave up one run and three hits in 5 2-3 innings with one walk and four strikeouts. That came after Volquez pitched two scoreless innings of relief Thursday against the Chicago Cubs. Volquezs 5.71 ERA last season with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers was the highest among the 81 pitchers who qualified for the ERA title. He also allowed 15 runs in 13 innings in exhibition games this spring. Wainwright went seven innings and allowed two runs and five hits after pitching seven scoreless innings in his first start of the season at Cincinnati in Mondays opener. He struck out seven and walked two. The Pirates opened the scoring in the fourth inning when Andrew McCutchen doubled with one out and scored on Neil Walkers two-out double. An RBI triple by the Cardinals Jon Jay in the sixth tied the score at 1-1 and chased Volquez. NOTES: St. Louis CF Peter Bourjos, who is off to a 0-for-13 start with his new team, got the day off. Jay started in his place. The Cardinals acquired Bourjos from the Los Angeles Angels in an off-season trade. ... RHP Jameson Taillon, Pittsburghs top pitching prospect, will undergo Tommy John surgery by David Altcheck in New York and hell miss 12 to 18 months. ... The Cardinals play their home opener Monday against the Cincinnati Reds with RHP Michael Wacha (0-0, 0.00) facing LHP Tony Cingrani (0-0, 0.00). ... The Pirates are off Monday then open a three-game series Tuesday night at Chicago with RHP Charlie Morton (0-0, 0.00) pitching against Cubs RHP Edwin Jackson (0-0, 1.29).
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Ryan Yarbrough Jersey . The Brazil defender was substituted 13 minutes into Wednesdays 2-1 Copa del Rey win at Athletic Bilbao because of a right hamstring problem. Scans revealed a second grade tear which could keep him out for a reported four to six weeks.Despite a slow start, the Minnesota Wild managed to make the playoffs last season because of their success after New Years Day. The struggling club will try to launch another such push beginning Friday night against the short-handed Toronto Maple Leafs and avoid matching the longest home losing streak in franchise history. Minnesota went 23-10-7 in its 2014 portion of last seasons schedule after starting 20-17-5, claiming a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Wild (17-14-4) have had a similarly lackluster start this season, going 1-3-3 in their last seven to enter 2015 seven points out of a playoff spot. Theyve also dropped four in a row at home, one shy of the team-record five-game skid recorded twice in 2011-12 and most recently April 1-21, 2013. The club had three winless streaks of six games or longer on home ice before shootouts were implemented in 2005-06. This home skid has seen the Wild give up an average of 4.5 goals and lose three in overtime. Minnesota hasnt earned back-to-back victories anywhere since a four-game win streak Nov. 13-20. The most recent failure to do so came Wednesday, giving up two goals in the third period in a 3-1 loss in Columbus. We cant get on a roll, coach Mike Yeo said. Its disappointing. That was a game that was there for us. But we didnt dig in deep enough to get it. Toronto (21-14-3) also is having some difficulty defensively, giving up 27 goals in a 2-5-0 stretch. The Maple Leafs did earn a 4-3 shootout win over Boston on Tuesday after blowing a two-goal lead in the second period. We needed it. Thats for sure. The one thing we tried to preach to our group is there has to be a stop sign in what was happening, coach Randy Carlyle said. We were playing too loose. We cant continue to play no-touch hockey, and thats what we felt we were playing. Carlyles club, though, also lost two key forwards to injury..
Hoby Milner Jersey. . While Joffrey Lupul (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Thursday, Peter Holland was slated to return to Toronto for more evaluation after suffering an upper-body injury. Lupul has 17 points in 26 games, and Holland has set career highs of eight goals and eight assists. Leo Komarov scored Wednesday in his return from a concussion that had kept him out since Nov. 29, and Jonathan Bernier was back in net after a two-game absence due to the flu. I tried to play my style, but I dont think I played that good today. I only had a couple practices under me, Komarov said. I need to get into it and I need some more games. The Maple Leafs will play their sixth of a season-high seven consecutive road games because of the World Junior Championship being held in their arena, and theyre 2-3-0 so far. Theyre also in a stretch where 16 of 20 games are away from home until Feb. 7. Toronto lost 2-1 to the Wild in a shootout in the most recent matchup Nov. 13, 2013, snapping its three-game win streak in the series. The Maple Leafs are 1-2-1 in their last four visits to Minnesota. Bernier is just 3-1-3 against the Wild despite a 1.11 goals-against average which is his lowest versus any opponent. Three of his nine career shutouts have been against them. The Leafs could be missing centre depth in this matchup, in addition to Holland, Nazem Kadri may also miss tonights contest. Kadri is questionable against the Wild with an undisclosed injury, he has practiced since the Leafs win over the Bruins. According to head coach Randy Carlyle, recent call-up Greg McKegg will play regardless of Kadris status. Game Notes: TOR was 1-0-1 vs MIN last season TOR has gone 3-0-1 past 4 games vs MIN Minnesota: 1-3-3 past 7 games, 28GA, 13/18 on PK Parise (1G, 1A) past 2GP Toronto: 2-5-0 past 7 games, 27GA, 4/22 on PP Kessel (1G, 2A) past 2GP ' ' '