Pirates’ 5-game winning streak ends at hands of Cardinals, but chase for winning season still alive
PITTSBURGH — Matthew Liberatore ended an 11-start winless stretch, and Alec Burleson got his major league-best 112th RBI as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 Wednesday night.
The Pirates’ five-game winning streak ended. It matched their longest of the season. Pittsburgh (80-78) needs to at least split its last four games to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2018.
Brandon Lowe accounted for the Pirates’ lone run when he led off the second inning with his team-leading 34th homer, his first of two hits. Ryan O’Hearn had two doubles.
Brandon Eisert (3-3) retired just two of the five betters he faced and was charged with three runs in relief of opener Lake Bachar.
Liberatore (6-14) gave up one run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and no walks. His previous win came July 11 against Atlanta in the left-hander’s last start before the All-Star break. Liberatore had lost eight straight decisions.
Burleson singled in the first run during a three-run third that put the Cardinals ahead 3-1. Iván Herrera scored on a wild pitch and Leo Bernal hit an RBI single.
Masyn Winn doubled home a run and scored on JJ Wetherholt’s single in the fourth to stretch the lead to 5-1. Wetherholt had three hits and José Fermín added two.
The rubber match of the three game-series is Thursday, with St. Louis RHP Kyle Leahy (10-5, 3.65 ERA) facing 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes (10-11, 3.91).
