Connor Joe and Oneil Cruz drove in runs in the ninth inning, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Colin Holderman (2-0) gave up two hits but no runs in the eighth and David Bednar earned his 14th save by pitching the ninth despite giving up a first-pitch leadoff home run to Nolan Gorman.
Bednar has converted 13 straight save opportunities and his 75 saves are the seventh-most in team history.
Both starters were splendid and neither gave up a run.
Miles Mikolas threw 84 pitches and gave up one hit over seven innings, striking out six and walking one.
Mikolas took a no-hitter into the seventh inning but lost it when Bryan Reynolds led off with a triple off the wall in dead center. Mikolas retired the first 16 batters he faced before walking Yasmani Grandal on a full count with one out in the sixth.
Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes pitched 6 1/3 innings and threw 103 pitches, 74 for strikes. He allowed five hits with eight strikeouts and no walks, and exited to a rare standing ovation for an opposing player at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals began the fifth with back-to-back singles by Nolan Arenado and Matt Carpenter. Skenes pitched out of the jam by striking out the next two batters before getting a groundout.
The top overall draft pick last season, Skenes, 22, has not given up more than three runs in any of his first six career starts.
Ryan Helsley (2-3) loaded the bases to start the ninth. Jack Suwinski drew a walk and Andrew McCutchen singled before Helsley walked Reynolds on four pitches. Joe grounded to shortstop but Suwinski scored. Cruz’s sacrifice fly drove in McCutchen.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
Paul Skenes
Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals
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