Zero tolerance: Pirates complete series shutout sweep of Cardinals
Associated Press
By John Perrotto
Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — Mitch Keller pitched seven innings, Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a two-run single in a four-run eighth and the Pittsburgh Pirates shut out St. Louis over a three-game series, winning 5-0 Wednesday to extend their winning streak to a season-high six.
Pittsburgh pitchers extended their scoreless streak to 31 innings as the Pirates finished a 6-0 homestand that started against the New York Mets in which they outscored opponents 43-4.
“It was special,” Kiner-Falefa said. “These aren’t just wins. These are dominating wins. It’s nice. You build off the confidence of domination of home. It’s hard not to feed off that.”
Keller (3-10) won his second straight start following a 15-start winless streak. He allowed five hits, struck out seven and walked one. Dennis Santana and Isaac Mattson completed the six-hitter with one inning each.
Pittsburgh, last in the NL Central, hadn’t had three straight shutouts since 2015. The Cardinals were blanked in three consecutive games for the first time since 2022.
San Diego shut out Colorado in three straight games from April 11-13.
Tommy Pham hit an RBI single in the first off Sonny Gray (8-3), who allowed four runs and five hits over 7 1/3 innings in his first start since a one-hit shutout at Cleveland.
Gray retired 14 straight batters until walking Nick Gonzales starting the eighth. Pham had another run-scoring single, Kiner-Falefa followed with his single and Spencer Horwitz followed with an RBI single.
St. Louis was 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners. The Cardinals were without first baseman Willson Contreras (bruised left hand) and third baseman Nolan Arenado (jammed right middle finger).
Key stat
St. Louis has gone a franchise-record 49 innings in a row without scoring against a fellow NL Central team.
Key moment
St. Louis stranded the bases loaded in the first inning when Thomas Saggese grounded out.
Up next
Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (4-5, 5.76) starts Friday’s series opener at the Chicago Cubs.
Pirates: Start a weekend series at Seattle on Friday.