Watch: Cardinals' Church snags game-winning home run robbery vs. Pirates
April 30 (UPI) -- St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Nathan Church sailed in the sky, snatching a ball above the wall for a game-winning home run robbery in Pittsburgh. Church gloved the final out of the 5-4 triumph over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday at PNC Park.
The rookie's theft came against Pirates infielder Nick Gonzalez. "That was some of the work that we did right when we got here," Church told reporters, according to MLB. com .
"Knowing the walls and how they're going to play. "Just doing that homework beforehand. So when plays like that happen, you're ready for it.
" The Cardinals led 5-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning. Pirates pinch hitter Nick Yorke hit a two-run single in the fifth exchange of the half inning. The Pirates cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the eighth.
They continued their rally when Ryan O'Hearn singled in the second at-bat of the bottom of the ninth. Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna struck out in the next exchange, bringing Gonzalez to the plate. The infielder smacked the first pitch he saw -- a 90.