PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joey Bart, Andrew McCutchen and Isiah Kiner-Falefa each drove in two runs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates handed St. Louis its fourth consecutive loss with an 8-4 victory over the Cardinals on Monday night.
Bart connected in the first inning for his first homer of the season. He also hit an RBI triple during Pittsburgh's four-run seventh.
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With temperatures in the 30s, a fan, center, sits bundled up behind home plate during a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn (0) celebrates with teammate Lars Nootbaar as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Thomas Harrington during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft collects himself on the mound during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Ke'Bryan Hayes (13) is greeted by Isiah Kiner-Falefa, back left, and Joey Bart (14) after scoring the second of two runs on a double by Andrew McCutchen off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Joey Bart (14) celebrates with third base coach Mike Rabelo (58) after driving in a run with a triple off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Thomas Harrington (78) celebrates with catcher Joey Bart, left, after getting the final out of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski (1-1) pitched five innings of one-run ball in his first win as a starting pitcher. He was converted from a reliever to a starter during spring training.
Rookie Thomas Harrington pitched four innings for his first save in his second career game, helping the Pirates win back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Kiner-Falefa hit a two-run single in the second, and McCutchen added a two-run double in the seventh.
Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore (0-1) struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings. He was charged with five runs and eight hits.
Masyn Winn and Yohel Pozo homered for St. Louis, and Brendan Donovan had three hits.
Pozo was brought up from Triple-A Memphis before the game. He hit a solo drive in the sixth for his first homer since his major league debut with Texas on Aug. 13, 2021.
Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado was scratched with what manager Oliver Marmol said was “illness and general soreness.”
Harrington got Willson Contreras to ground into an inning-ending double play in the seventh, and the Pirates broke the game open in the bottom half. Contreras went 0 for 4 and his batting average fell to .103.
Harrington became the first Pirates pitcher to record a four-inning save since Jason Christiansen on July 17, 1998, at Montreal.
Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (1-0, 5.73 ERA) faces Pirates ace Paul Skenes (1-0, 1.46 ERA) on Tuesday night.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
With temperatures in the 30s, a fan, center, sits bundled up behind home plate during a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn (0) celebrates with teammate Lars Nootbaar as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Thomas Harrington during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft collects himself on the mound during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Ke'Bryan Hayes (13) is greeted by Isiah Kiner-Falefa, back left, and Joey Bart (14) after scoring the second of two runs on a double by Andrew McCutchen off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Joey Bart (14) celebrates with third base coach Mike Rabelo (58) after driving in a run with a triple off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Thomas Harrington (78) celebrates with catcher Joey Bart, left, after getting the final out of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic always knew it was going to be an emotional return to Dallas when wearing his No. 77 Los Angeles Lakers jersey in the place he called home the first 5 1/2 seasons of his NBA career.
Then the Mavericks showed a more than two-minute video tribute before he had even been introduced before his first game back Wednesday night, two months after being traded.
Doncic watched while sitting on the bench alone, with tears in his eyes and wondering if he would even be able to get through the game.
“After that video, I was like, there’s no way I’m playing this game," Doncic said. “So many moments, and I just went out there and just played basketball."
More than play, he had another Luka-like standout performance.
Doncic matched his season high with 45 points in a 112-97 victory that clinched a playoff spot for the Lakers. He already had 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting with three 3s in the first 10 1/2 minutes.
“It was a beautiful moment. I thought the video was great,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “But I think just his ability to then go perform, lights turn on, he’s teary-eyed still as we walk out on the court for the tip ball. To have the emotional resolve to then go put on that kind of performance, it’s superhuman.”
The other four Lakers starters had already been introduced as Doncic looked up to watch many highlights from his time in Dallas — from being the 2018-19 NBA rookie of the year to last year's NBA Finals when he was the league scoring champion.
Doncic didn’t make it all the way through before putting his head down and wiping away tears. His eyes were still red once he was introduced and came on the court to be surrounded by his teammates and get several hugs.
The 26-year-old from Slovenia had thought he would spend his entire career in Dallas before that seismic trade out of nowhere the first weekend of February, a deal that brought Anthony Davis to Dallas.
“It was a little bit of both, happy and angry, but it’s nice to see some familiar faces here," Doncic said about arriving at the American Airlines Center before Wednesday's game. "It was a lot emotions. When I woke up, I was tired. Ain’t going to lie, I didn’t sleep much. Excited about this game. I really appreciate the fans, the way they reacted to me.”
There were loud cheers throughout the night, plus extended ovations when he was first introduced and then exited the game in the closing minutes. Draped over every seat in the arena was a T-shirt with “Hvala za vse” across the front — that Slovenian phrase translates to “Thank you for everything.”
Doncic called it an amazing and unbelievable experience, but one that he is happy to have done.
“Now I can get some sleep finally,” he said.
Right after tipoff, fans began chanting “Fire Nico" for the Mavericks general manager who traded Doncic. That chant got louder and longer in the first quarter, and repeated numerous times during the game, when Nico Harrison was seen standing just outside a tunnel.
Mavericks fans conducted a mock funeral outside the American Airlines Center on Feb. 2, right after news of the trade late the previous night. There have been protests and plenty of ire directed at Harrison, including “Fire Nico!” showing up on plenty of signs and T-shirts. The GM hasn't spoken to the media since comments he made right after the deal was done.
While there were no organized protests outside the arena before the game, No. 77 jerseys were everywhere — both the purple and gold ones of the Lakers and blue Mavericks jerseys as well, though some of those home ones had the Dallas logo covered up. There were even some Slovenia jerseys.
One fan sitting a couple of rows behind the Dallas bench had a Mavericks No. 77 jersey, but had “Lakers” written on duct tape covering up the logo. A fan outside wore a Los Angeles jersey with duct tape covering the Lakers logo that read “Former Mavs fan.”
This wasn’t the first time Doncic played the Mavericks. He had a triple-double (19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists) in the Lakers’ 107-99 home win on Feb. 25, only 23 days after the trade.
Los Angeles is 21-12 since Doncic was acquired. The Lakers are 17-9 in the games he has played for them.
Dallas is 12-19 since the trade and Davis has played in only eight of those games (five wins). The 10-time All-Star missed six weeks after his dominant debut with the Mavs on Feb. 8, when he had 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks against Houston before coming up lame in the third quarter because of a groin injury.
“With A.D., we got traded for each other, so from now on, everybody’s going to compare us two,” Doncic said. "I think he’s an amazing player and I think is going to do really good in Dallas.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Sasa Doncic, center left in white, hugs his son, Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic, center right, after the team's NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic (77), Dallas Mavericks' Klay Thompson (31) and P.J. Washington, center right, compete for a rebound as Austin Reaves (15) looks on in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic looks up at a large video board paying a tribute to the former Dallas Mavericks player before an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic (77) shoots as Dallas Mavericks' P.J. Washington (25) and Max Christie (00) defend in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic (77) and LeBron James, center, right, hug and celebrate late in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic shoots over Dallas Mavericks' Anthony Davis (3) and Dereck Lively II (2) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic (77) celebrates sinking a basket as Dallas Mavericks' Dereck Lively II (2) follows behind in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic greets teammate during introductions before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic looks up at a large video board paying a tribute to the former Dallas Mavericks player before an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
David Welch of Dallas, wears a "Team Luka" shirt as he arrives at the arena for an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
A fan wears a Dallas Mavericks jersey with tape and writing on it that reads "Lakers" and former player Luka Doncic's number on it during warmups before an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic, center right, hugs Markieff Morris, center left, during team introductions before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic, center right, hugs his former coach, Dallas Mavericks assistant coach God Shammgod, center left, during team warmups before an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic becomes emotional as he watches a video on the large video board that was a tribute to the former Dallas Mavericks player before an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic walks onto the court for warmups before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic becomes emotional as he watches a video on the large video board that was a tribute to the former Dallas Mavericks player before an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
