ST. LOUIS — David Bednar jogged out from the Pirates dugout in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday, smacked the palm of his glove with his right hand, put his head down and went to work. After a frustrating road trip, the Pirates were three outs from something that would actually feel good for a change. It was Bednar's job to shut the door.
The opportunity arose, of course, because of the work of another franchise building block, another player the Pirates should be counting upon to be a part of their next winning team, as Bryan Reynolds' scorching-hot June continued with a two-run homer in the seventh inning, pushing the Pirates ahead for good.
Though it won't completely wipe away the frustration from what was a nine-game losing streak, what transpired during the Pirates' 6-4 victory over the Cardinals in the finale of a four-game series at Busch Stadium felt special. Reynolds and Bednar, each already a fan favorite in his own way, lifted this young team out of a funk.
