Cardinals Pull Away Late to Beat Pirates; Ashcraft Continues to Wow as Starter
Braxton Ashcraft delivered another strong start for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but it didn’t matter in a 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
How We Got There
Ashcraft held the Cardinals (66-69) to just one run on four hits with five strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitches. The lone blemish on his line came when Iván Herrera hit a game-tying RBI double in the third.
The Pirates (59-76) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Tommy Pham connected on a 440-foot home run to left field, his eighth of the season. Later in the inning, the Pirates came up empty with two in scoring position and one out.
The score remained tied at 1-all until the Cardinals struck for three runs in the seventh against Yohan Ramírez (1-2) in the seventh. Thomas Saggese put St. Louis ahead with an RBI double and Jordan Walker followed with a two-run home run.
Key Moment
Ramirez worked out of trouble in the sixth but a leadoff walk to Masyn Winn to open the seventh came back to bite him.
Player of the Game
Thomas Saggese finished the game 2 for 3 with a go-ahead doubles and a run scored.
Stat to Know
Braxton Ashcraft’s 5.2 innings set a career-high. In five starts this season, the rookie right-hander has a 1.23 ERA (3er/22ip). He’s allowed 12 hits, with three walks and 22 strikeouts when pitching out of the rotation.
Notable Performances
- Braxton Ashcraft: 5.2 innings, four hits, one run, one walk, five strikeouts, 73 pitches/52 strikes
- Tommy Pham: 1 for 4, one home run, one RBI, one run
Noteworthy
- This was the final meeting between the Pirates and Cardinals in 2025. Pittsburgh won the season series 7-6.
- The Pirates have recorded at least one extra-base hit in 34 straight games, their longest streak of the season.
Up Next
The Pirates will head to Boston for a three-game series at Fenway Park. RHP Paul Skenes (8-9, 2.07 ERA) will be on the mound for Pittsburgh. Boston has yet to name their starting pitcher. First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET.
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