Mathews Earns First Win as Cardinals Top Pirates 4-1
A 5 2/3‑inning outing with seven strikeouts from Mathews helped steady St. Louis’s rotation as the team climbed to 68-68.
Overview
- Quinn Mathews recorded his first major-league victory in a start Friday night, pitching 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run, throwing 102 pitches and striking out seven.
- Jimmy Crooks provided the key offense with a two-run homer in the third inning, his fifth long ball of the season, that put the Cardinals ahead.
- Relievers Ryan Fernandez, Caleb Ferguson and Ryne Stanek combined to hold Pittsburgh scoreless over the final 3 1/3 innings and preserve the 4-1 win.
- The victory evened St. Louis’s record at 68-68 and extended the Cardinals’ season series edge over Pittsburgh to 6-2 while the Pirates have scored just five runs in their last four games.
- The outing gave the Cardinals a clearer look at rotation depth and set RHP Kyle Leahy as the next scheduled starter for the team’s following game.