Pedro Pages hit an RBI double in the top of the 10th inning and the St. Louis Cardinals held on to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Thursday afternoon in the deciding game of a three-game series.
Pages got Pittsburgh reliever Dennis Santana (2-1) to score automatic runner Michael Siani. With two outs, Alec Burleson provided St. Louis with some vital insurance, singled to left field to score Pages.
Michael A. Taylor led off the 10th inning at home from second base and scored on a deep fly ball from Nick Gonzales to left-center field. Brendan Donovan caught the ball, but breathing what appeared to be a sigh of relief, he failed to quickly bring the ball back into the infield. That allowed Taylor to score from second base, bringing Pittsburgh within 3-2.
However, the Pirates never managed to tie the game, with John King (3-1) completing his second inning of relief for the win.
Burleson and Dylan Carlson each finished with two hits for the Cardinals, who have won three of their last four games.
Bryan Reynolds hit hard as Pittsburgh lost for the fourth time in six games.
Donovan reached base on a two-out error in the second inning before scoring on Carlson’s double to give St. Louis a 1-0 lead.
Pittsburgh tied it when Reynolds opened the fourth inning with his 14th home run of the season.
The Cardinals had a golden opportunity to regain the lead in the sixth inning, but they came up short.
Masyn Winn led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a hit by Burleson. Willson Contreras then grounded into a double play while Winn remained on third base, and Paul Goldschmidt struck out three times to end the inning.
Double plays also hampered St. Louis in the first and fifth innings.
Both starters had to make do with not making any decisions despite exceptional performances.
Pirates left-hander Martin Perez went 7 1/3 innings, allowing one unearned run and six hits, one walk and two strikeouts. Right-hander Andre Pallante allowed one run on four hits in seven innings for the Cardinals. He walked one and struck out five.
–Field level media
July 4, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Brendan Donovan (33) beats a pitch to Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Martín Pérez (54) to reach base during the second inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports 