Paul Goldschmidt hit a homer and drove in all three runs as the host St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 Tuesday in the first half of a day-night doubleheader.
The Pirates extended their losing streak to eight games while the Cardinals won for the seventh time in their last eight home games. The Pirates committed four errors, three by shortstop Diego Castillo.
The Cardinals are 7-1 against the Pirates this season and 19-8 against them over the last two seasons.
Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (2-1) threw five scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and two walks. Relievers Drew VerHagen, Genesis Cabrera, Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos combined to finish off the game, with Gallegos earning his ninth save.
Yadier Molina became Major League Baseball’s all-time leader for putouts by a catcher when he recorded No. 14,865.
Pirates starting pitcher JT Brubaker (0-7) allowed the three runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks.
The Cardinals took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Brendan Donovan led off with a single and Goldschmidt launched a two-run homer over the center field wall with one out.
In the fourth inning, Molina and Edmundo Sosa reached on consecutive throwing errors by Castillo. They advanced on Brubaker’s balk, then Nolan Gorman drew a two-out walk to load the bases.
Goldschmidt made it 3-0 by grounding into a protracted fielder’s choice play that involved two separate rundowns after the Pirates failed to get the forceout at second base.
Harrison Bader hit a leadoff single in the sixth inning and took second on a wild pitch. Sosa reached first on another throwing error. That ushered in reliever Tyler Beede, who walked Donovan. Beede defused the threat, though, by striking out Gorman and getting Goldschmidt to ground out.
Yu Chang’s solo homer in the seventh inning against Cabrera cut the Cardinals’ lead to 3-1.
Canaan Smith-Njigba hit a two-out pinch double in the ninth inning in his first big league at bat, but Gallegos retired Cal Mitchell end the game.
–Field Level Media
