The St. Louis Cardinals responded to an early setback with an impressive offensive burst, scoring five unanswered runs to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on Wednesday night and bring an end to Pittsburgh’s season-best five-game winning streak. Matthew Liberatore delivered one of his steadier outings of the season, while JJ Wetherholt sparked the Cardinals’ offense with three hits and an RBI as St. Louis strengthened its position late in the season.
Liberatore worked 5⅔ innings, striking out six while limiting Pittsburgh to one run on six hits. Most importantly, he did not issue a walk, allowing him to stay in control for much of the night despite Pittsburgh putting traffic on the bases early. The left-hander improved to 6-14 on the season and exited after throwing 81 pitches, leaving the Cardinals’ bullpen with enough room to protect a four-run advantage.
Pittsburgh initially appeared to be in position to continue its strong run. Brandon Lowe opened the scoring in the second inning with a towering 434-foot solo home run to right-center field. The blast marked Lowe’s 34th homer of the season and pushed his RBI total to 94, giving the Pirates an early 1-0 advantage. Pittsburgh then threatened to add to the lead when Ryan O’Hearn doubled with two outs and Jared Triolo followed with a single, putting runners at the corners. Liberatore, however, avoided further damage by striking out Jake Mangum to end the inning.
That escape proved important because St. Louis immediately shifted the momentum in the following innings. The Cardinals broke through for three runs in the third, turning a one-run deficit into a 3-1 lead. Wetherholt got the rally started with a one-out single against Brandon Eisert, who had entered the game after opener Lake Bachar completed 1⅔ scoreless innings. Two batters later, Alec Burleson delivered an RBI single that brought Wetherholt home and tied the game.
St. Louis then capitalized on Pittsburgh’s mistakes to take control. A wild pitch allowed Ivan Herrera to score, putting the Cardinals ahead for good, before Leo Bernal followed with a run-scoring single that brought Burleson home. What had been a promising start for Pittsburgh suddenly turned into a two-run deficit, and the Cardinals continued to apply pressure in the fourth inning.
Jose Fermin opened the fourth with a single and later came around to score when Masyn Winn doubled, extending St. Louis’ advantage to 4-1. Wetherholt then continued his productive night with another RBI single, pushing the Cardinals’ lead to 5-1. Fermin finished with two hits, while Wetherholt’s three-hit performance provided one of the biggest offensive highlights of the game.
From that point forward, St. Louis’ pitching staff made sure Pittsburgh could not mount a comeback. Liberatore settled down after Lowe’s home run, and the Cardinals’ bullpen finished the contest with 3⅓ scoreless innings. Luis Gastelum, Ryne Stanek and George Soriano combined to shut down the Pirates, allowing just three hits after the second inning. Lowe collected one of those hits in the fourth, but Liberatore quickly ended the threat by inducing Ronny Simon into a double play.
The victory moved St. Louis to 77-81 on the season, while Pittsburgh fell to 80-78. For the Cardinals, the result was particularly significant because it stopped Pittsburgh’s five-game surge and prevented the Pirates from carrying that momentum into the final stretch of the season. St. Louis also showed an ability to respond after falling behind early, scoring five consecutive runs and receiving a balanced contribution from its starting pitcher, offense and bullpen.
Wetherholt’s performance was another encouraging development for the Cardinals. His three-hit night gave the lineup a consistent presence throughout the game, while Burleson, Bernal, Winn and Fermin each contributed at key moments. Rather than relying on one massive offensive inning, St. Louis gradually built its lead and then allowed its pitching staff to protect it.
For Pittsburgh, the loss was a reminder of how quickly momentum can disappear late in a season. The Pirates had entered the game riding their longest winning streak of the year, but after taking a 1-0 lead, their offense struggled to produce against Liberatore and the Cardinals’ relievers. Pittsburgh managed only three hits after the second inning and never seriously threatened to erase the four-run deficit.
The Cardinals will ultimately look back on the game as a well-rounded win built around timely hitting, controlled pitching and a strong response after surrendering the opening run. Pittsburgh may have struck first, but St. Louis controlled the game from the third inning onward, using five unanswered runs to close out the 5-1 victory and put an emphatic end to the Pirates’ five-game winning streak.
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