Pirates Win Fifth Straight Against St. Louis With 6-3 Victory

PITTSBURGH— The Pirates took the game and the series against the St. Louis Cardinals with a 6-3 win. Pittsburgh knocked around old foe Adam Wainwright to the tune of six runs in 4.2 innings pitched. Pirates’ starter Johan Oviedo struggled to put batters away but still managed to get through five innings of one-run ball.

Recap:

Wainwright retired the first nine batters he faced, but began to run into trouble in the fourth inning. He issued a leadoff walk to Ji-Hwan Bae, who came around to score on a single from Connor Joe. 

Richie Palacios—Joshua Palacios’ younger brother—led off the top of the fifth with a solo home run, knotting the game 1-1.

The Pirates loaded the bases with three straight singles in the bottom of the frame. Bae grounded out to plate one run, Bryan Reynolds doubled in two more, and Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer to open a 6-1 lead.

Paul Goldschmidt drew a walk to open the sixth, and Willson Contreras doubled him home.

St. Louis added another run in the seventh. They loaded the bases with two outs, but Contreras—stepping to the plate as the go-ahead run—struck out to end the inning.

David Bednar entered in the ninth for the save, striking out one batter on the way to his 27th save of the season.

Key Moment:

The Pirates exploded for five runs in the fifth, chasing Wainwright from the game and taking a commanding 6-1 lead.

Star of the Game:

Oviedo, who struck out five across five innings and allowed just one run.

Stat of Interest:

Oviedo recorded his first win against his former club. He pitched seven innings of one-run ball against them on April 14, but was charged with a loss after the Pirates couldn’t score.

Noteworthy:

Alfonso Rivas’ fifth-inning single snapped an 0-for-20 drought.

McCutchen’s homer marked the fourth of his career off of Wainwright in 90 at-bats.

Home plate umpire Brennan Miller ejected Cardinals’ manager Oli Marmol from the game along with Contreras after they argued balls and strikes in the seventh inning.

Up Next: 

The Pirates look to sweep their series with the Cardinals at 12:35pm Wednesday. Pittsburgh is expected to send right-hander Luis Ortiz (2-3, 4.86 ERA) to the mound. St. Louis counters with Zack Thompson (2-5, 3.90 ERA).