ST. LOUIS — Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate Kolten Wong was sitting on a fastball, hoping for extra bases to get something going in the ninth inning.
ST. LOUIS — Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate Kolten Wong was sitting on a fastball, hoping for extra bases to get something going in the ninth inning.
The rookie downplayed his power after giving the St. Louis Cardinals their second straight game-winning, ninth-inning home run on a two-out, full-count drive that soared well beyond the right field wall.
“I’m definitely not the kind of guy to hit a home run,” Wong said after the 5-4 victory stunned the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night. “Usually, I’m always that guy there getting ready to jump on someone coming home.”
A night earlier, Wong was part of the joyous celebration at the plate after Matt Adams hit his first career game-winning homer. He was just about to douse “Big City” with two cups of water before catcher Yadier Molina tackled him.
This time, it was Wong getting mobbed. He said his last game-winning homer came in college at Hawaii against Louisiana Tech.
“It was a little scary, I saw those big guys and I didn’t know if I was going to get beat-up or what,” Wong said. “It was awesome, seeing those guys and how excited they were. This is a huge win for us.”
Ernesto Frieri (1-1) got two routine outs before Wong, batting eighth, hit his third homer on a full count.
“I give him credit,” Frieri said. “That was a really good at-bat. I didn’t want to walk him, I don’t want to put the winning run on base.”
The drive over the right-field wall was estimated at 420 feet. On Monday night, Matt hit his first winner off Justin Wilson in a 2-0 victory.
“It’s not the first time we’ve had two tough losses and it probably isn’t going to be the last time this year,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “That’s what makes the season so interesting.
“Great crowd, exciting games, one swing of the bat at the end changed the game, and shower up and get ready to play again tomorrow.”
The Cardinals last had consecutive game-winning homers when Albert Pujols twice beat the Cubs on June 4 and 5, 2011. They have four game-winners this season overall.
Wong also gave the Cardinals the early lead with a two-run double in the second.
Trevor Rosenthal (1-4) struck out Starling Marte on three pitches with two on to end the ninth.
Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen hit two-run homers off Carlos Martinez, in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, and McCutchen’s 14th of the season put them up 4-2. Alvarez has 100 career homers with 14 homers and 47 RBIs against St. Louis, most of any opponent.
Matt Holliday had been 2 for 14 on the homestand before tying it with a two-run double off Vance Worley in the fifth. He batted second the previous 14 games while battling a slump and manager Mike Matheny put him back in his usual third slot Wednesday with Jon Jay batting second to give the top of the lineup more flexibility to bunt and hit and run.
Holliday took a called third strike and bounced out before the double for his first multi-RBI game since June 15.