PIRATES Burnett blanks Cards in 3-0 win

The young Pittsburgh pitcher went six innings for his first major league win.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
PITTSBURGH -- After tossing four scoreless innings to begin his major league debut, retiring the first 12 batters he faced in his second outing and dueling with Roger Clemens in his third, 21-year-old Pirates left-hander Sean Burnett was ready for something new.
Like a win.
In his fourth big-league start, Burnett captured it by dazzling the National League's best team for six innings in the Bucs' 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday at PNC Park.
Got bullpen support
"Awesome," Burnett said after relievers Mark Corey, Salomon Torres and Jose Mesa preserved the shutout as the Bucs (31-43) won their fourth straight game. "They have a scary lineup over there so to [get the win against them] makes it a little more special.
"Mesa gave me the ball," said Burnett (1-2, 3.09 earned-run average). "I'm going to give it to my family and [someday] put it in my house when I get a house."
Burnett stranded seven Cardinals (46-31) baserunners in the first five innings, including two in the first, second and fifth frames.
The rookie pitcher said the at-bat that he felt the most pressure on was against Scott Rolen in the fifth inning with two outs and runners at second and first base.
"With a 3-2 count, I kept challenging him and was fortunate enough to jam it in there a little bit and get a fly ball [out]," Burnett said.
Bucs manager Lloyd McClendon said the fifth inning "was big for him and he handled it extremely well. This kid's makeup is off the charts."
Early on, it wasn't certain Burnett would survive until the fifth inning. In the first inning, Edgar Renteria doubled with one out and took third on Albert Pujols' foulout to right fielder Craig Wilson. Reggie Sanders struck out to end the inning.
"I was fortunate to get him to chase a pitch up out of the zone," Burnett said.
In the second inning, John Mabry and So Taguchi led off with singles, but didn't advance after two strikeouts and a groundout.
"He had a pretty good sinker going and a pretty good changeup when he needed it," McClendon said. "The fact that they hadn't seen him before didn't hurt."
Lifted in sixth
Burnett tossed 101 pitches and was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning when the Bucs had two runs in and runners at third and second bases.
"I felt fine, but in that case you definitely have to try and get runs," Burnett said.
Burnett said he spent the final three innings in the clubhouse icing his arm and pacing.
"Kip [Wells] was making fun of me, asking if I had burned a hole in my rubber shoes," Burnett said. "I just kept walking back and forth getting drinks. It was definitely nerve-wracking."
The Pirates turned a walk, a single and a fielder's choice into their first run. With one out in the second inning, Jason Bay walked then alertly took third base on Randall Simon's hit to shallow center field.
Tike Redman grounded to shortstop Renteria who flipped to second baseman Tony Womack to retire Simon while Bay raced home. Womack's relay to first baseman Pujols was wide to prevent the inning-ending double play.
McClendon praised Bay's "aggressiveness" and Redman for "busting his butt down the first-base line."
Insurance runs
The Bucs added two insurance runs in the sixth inning after Rob Mackowiak led off with a single and Craig Wilson doubled.
Following a one-out intentional walk to Simon, Redman singled to left field to score Mackowiak. Wilson then scored after Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter (8-3) stumbled while fielding Bobby Hill's groundball.
williams@vindy.com