Jodi Mientkiewicz, the wife of Pirates infielder Doug Mientkiewicz, is at home and faring well after heart surgery Monday at Allegheny General Hospital.

"She's in some pain," manager John Russell said. "But everything seems to be going as well as expected. Doctors said (the surgery) went perfect. She's doing better. She's doing fine."

Doug Mientkiewicz, who was placed on bereavement leave, remained in Pittsburgh and didn't travel to St. Louis with the team. He is eligible to rejoin the team Friday. Jodi was fitted with a pace maker to combat a viral infection, discovered over the weekend after she returned from Wyoming with multiple symptoms, including shortness of breath and low heart rate, Russell said. &#149 Left fielder Brandon Moss (left ankle sprain) took batting practice Tuesday afternoon at Busch Stadium and declared himself just about ready to go. Moss, injured during the Pirates' loss to the Mets on Monday, also did some light relatively pain-free jogging. Moss could rejoin the starting lineup as early as Friday. &#149 Pirates rightfielder Steve Pearce is 122 at-bats into his major-league career and still hasn't hit his first big-league home run.

"I would like to get (the first homer) out of the way, but I'm not pressing for it," he said. "Hopefully, it is going to come pretty soon. Once you got the monkey off your back, usually it starts to tumble and you get a lot more."

Pearce hit 31 home runs last year in the minors and 26 in 2006, leading all Pirates farmhands in home runs. &#149 Center fielder Nate McLouth was under the weather last night and sat out the opener with the Cardinals. It was only his second off day since July 4. Nyjer Morgan, recalled to replace Mientkiewicz, started in center field.

Digits 9 -- Years since the Pirates won a season series from the Cardinals (the series was 6-all entering Tuesday's game).

---

Copyright ©2026— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---