Tuesday’s Game Report: Cardinals 2, Pirates 1
By Rob Rains
If Alec Burleson wants to pick up a little extra money on the side, he might be able to sell his secret to success against Paul Skenes.
While the Pirates star has dominated opponents since making his major-league debut last season, he hasn’t been able to solve Burleson.
That result again helped the Cardinals beat Skenes on Tuesday night at Busch Stadium.
Burleson’s double in the sixth inning was only their third hit off Skenes but it drove in two runs and was the difference in the Cardinals victory, which extended their winning streak to a season-high four games.
Burleson is now 6-of-15 off Skenes, the most hits he has allowed to an opposing hitter in his career.
Since Skenes made his debut, he had held opponents to a combined .198 career average coming into his start on Tuesday night.
Matthew Liberatore outdueled Skenes as he kept the Pirates scoreless on just one hit before a two-out double by Ke’Bryan Hayes doubled in the first run of the game in the top of the sixth.
Here is how Tuesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals only hit through the first five innings was a two-out single by Brendan Donovan in the first. With two outs in the sixth, Nolan Arenado singled – his fifth career hit off Skenes – and after Willson Contreras drew a walk, Burleson lined the double that drove in both runs … Burleson has had an extra-base hit in each of his last three games, two homers and a double, and has driven in five runs.
On the mound: Liberatore equaled his career high with eight strikeouts … He allowed just three hits over seven innings, two by Hayes, and the Pirates took advantage of a leadoff walk to Oneil Cruz and a stolen base to put him in position to score on the double by Hayes … Steven Matz worked the eighth inning, allowing a two-out single, before Gordon Graceffo retired the Pirates in order on just six pitches in the ninth to earn his first career save.
Key stat: Skenes fell to 0-4 in five career starts versus the Cardinals despite having a composite ERA of 2.75 in those games. At Busch Stadium, he is 0-2 in three starts but has only allowed three runs in 18 1/3 innings, an ERA of 0.98.
Worth noting: Masyn Winn returned to the lineup after missing Monday night’s game because of a sprained ankle suffered on Sunday. He was hitless in four at-bats … Victor Scott II was thrown out trying to steal second after getting a single in the seventh, ending his streak of 11 consecutive stolen bases to begin this season.
Up next: The Cardinals will send Sonny Gray to the mound on Wednesday to try to complete a sweep of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 12:15 p.m.
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