By MATT PIKE
St Joseph Post
Since Paul Skenes has come into the league, he's looked nearly untouchable, but one team seems to have his number and that's the St. Louis Cardinals, a trend that continued Tuesday as St. Louis snapped a four game losing skid, beating Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3.
The Cardinals took the only lead they would need in the game in the third inning putting up three runs. Pedro Pagés and Masyn Winn singled, before Victor Scott II cleared the bases with his first triple of the season. Scott II later came home to score on an RBI single from Brendan Donovan.
Pittsburgh scored a run in the bottom of the fourth, a solo home run from Bryan Reynolds. But St. Louis put the final runs they ended up needing in the sixth, after Donovan led the inning off with a double, he eventually scored on a RBI single by Alec Burleson. Later in the inning, Pagés grounded out, scoring Nolan Arenado who had walked in his at bat.
With no save situation in place, the Cardinals sent Jo Jo Romero to the mound in the ninth. Romero surrendered a single to Alexander Canario and a double to Reynolds before recording an out, Andrew McCutchen grounding out to Winn. But on the groundout Canario came around to score, and St. Louis pulled Romero in favor of Phil Maton to get the save.
Maton struck out Ke'Bryan Hayes, but then gave up a double to Joey Bart to score Reynolds, bringing the tying run to the plate in former Cardinal Tommy Pham. Pham though lined out to right fielder Jordan Walker to end the game.
Sonny Gray improved to 2-0 on the season, pitching five innings, giving up one run on three hits, striking out four batters. Scott II (2-5, 2 RBI) and Donovan (2-3, 1 RBI) led the way hitting for the for St. Louis in the win
Skenes’ raw talent is undeniable, but for whatever reason the Cardinals have the number of the reigning National League Rookie of the Year.
The Cardinals were the only team to beat Skenes twice in 2024, and the five earned runs given up by Skenes in the loss were a career high. In four career starts against St Louis, Skenes is 0-3 in 26.2 IP with a 2.70 ERA, giving up 19 hits and eight earned runs.
The Cardinals wrap up their three game set with the Pirates tomorrow. Erick Fedde looks to rebound from his last start where he gave up six runs over three innings against the Red Sox, taking the mound against Mitch Keller for the Pirates. First pitch is at 11:35am, pregame will be joined at 11:25 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).
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