ST. LOUIS

Michael Chavis has figured out the key to success with loaded bases.

Chavis hit a grand slam as the Pittsburgh Pirates overcame a three-run third-inning deficit and beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-4 on Sunday for their first victory this season.

Chavis made his first start of the season and beat left-hander Steven Matz (0-1), who allowed seven runs and nine hits over three innings in his first start since signing a $44 million contract. dollars over four years.

It was Chavis’ second career slam in the big league in 14 at bats with full bases. He finished a shy triple of the cycle.

“Anytime the bases are loaded, you know the pressure is on the pitcher,” Chavis said. “I’m huge on mental skills. I kind of change the perception of I have to produce to the pressure is on him and he has to produce. He has to make and execute throws to get me out.

Chavis drove the first offering over the wall to the left.

“It put us on the board and showed that even though we lost the first two games, we’re going to keep going,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “That got us started.”

Chavis was equally pleased with his play at first base. Twice he had to do the splits to catch a pitch from his infielders.

“When I do, I’m really proud of it,” Chavis said. “It’s something I had to work for. When I was growing up, I wasn’t a super flexible person.”

Diego Castillo added three hits for the Pirates, a day after the 24-year-old got his first hit in his second league game.

Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer in the first for St. Louis, which played its second straight game led by bench coach Skip Schumaker, in charge while manager Oliver Marmol has the flu. Arenado has two home runs and seven RBIs in three games.

Ke’Bryan Hayes, Kevin Newman and Jake Marisnick also had RBIs for the Pirates, who went eight unanswered runs after falling 3-0 in the first.

Roberto Perez, Hayes and Bryan Reynolds singled in the third before Chavis homer.

Miguel Yajure (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings. It was his first major league victory in his eighth appearance. Yajure’s teammates doused him with water in the clubhouse after the contest.

“It was good, everyone was yelling at me and congratulating me,” Yajure said. “I’ve worked very hard and it’s good to finally have it.”

Bryse Wilson gave up three runs in the first inning before pitching three scoreless innings.

“Three points, we can overcome this,” Wilson said. “The main objective was to keep the team in the game.”

Matz allowed just one hit through the first two innings before imploding in the third.

“You want to go deeper into games, it was really frustrating,” Matz said. “Especially when you go out hot and get three points. Right off the bat you want to get the guys back (in the dugout) as fast as possible and I couldn’t do that.

AFTER FURTHER EXAMINATION

The Cardinals won their challenge in the seventh inning when Tommy Edman was initially ruled out by first base umpire Dan Merzel after a grounder at shortstop. After a video review, team leader Jim Reynolds announced that the call had been dropped.

WELCOME TO THE GREAT

St. Louis RHP Andre Pallante pitched the seventh inning of his big league debut and allowed two hits, including a hit to Jake Marisnick. The Cal Irvine product was a fourth-round pick in the 2019 entry draft.

FIRST MAGIC

The Cardinals have scored in the first inning of each of the first three games for the first time since April 7-10, 1977.

NEXT

Pittsburgh RHP Zach Thompson (3-7, 3.24 last season) will face RHP Dakota Hudson (1-0, 2.08 ERA) in the final game of the four-game series on Monday afternoon. Thompson was acquired from Miami on November 29. Hudson is 2-1 with a 3.90 ERA in nine appearances against the Pirates.

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