Cardinals tagged out at plate in 9th, fall to Pirates 1-0

Catcher Henry Davis drove in the game’s only run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and preserved the lead with a tag at the plate in the ninth, giving Pittsburgh a 1-0 win over St. Louis Cardinals 1-0 on Tuesday night as Pirates ace Paul Skenes’ winless streak reached six starts.

Pittsburgh’s Ke’Bryan Hayes led off the bottom of the eighth with a single off Phil Maton (1-3). Pinch-hitter Adam Frazier doubled to right and Hayes scored on Davis’ fly ball to center.

St. Louis had runners on second and third with one out in the ninth when Victor Scott hit a slow chopper that first baseman Spencer Horwitz fielded and threw to Davis, who tagged Jose Fermin at the plate.

Skenes pitched five scoreless innings and allowed five hits and one walk and struck out five while throwing 88 pitches. Skenes, who is 4-7 with a 2.03 ERA, has not won since May 28 at Arizona and is winless in six starts against the Cardinals.

The loss spoiled a strong outing by Cardinals starter Andre Pallante, who pitched seven innings of one-hit ball. He struck out three and walked two.

Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (8-2, 3.36 ERA) faces Mitch Keller (2-10, 3.90) on Wednesday as the Pirates go for the series sweep.



(AP Photo Matt Freed)