ST. LOUIS — Matched up against Pirates rookie sensation Paul Skenes, Miles Mikolas knew he would have to be at his best for the Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Mikolas was better than that, but the Cardinals offense could not get him the run he needed to have a chance at a victory.
Mikolas retired the first 16 batters he faced before issuing a one-out walk on a 3-2 pitch in the sixth inning and he carried a no-hitter into the seventh in the game at Busch Stadium.
His problem was that the game was still scoreless, as the Cardinals could only produce four hits off Skenes. Skenes retired the first 10 hitters he faced and finished with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.
The Pirates finally broke through in the ninth against Ryan Helsley, taking advantage of two walks, a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly to score twice.
Nolan Gorman got one of the runs back with a home run in the bottom of the ninth before the Cardinals left the would-be tying run on second base.
The Pirates finished with just three hits and became only the third team to win a game at Busch Stadium since 2016 getting three or fewer hits. The Cardinals now have a record of 34-3 in those games over the last eight years.
Here is how Tuesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: Alec Burleson had three of the Cardinals’ eight hits, two of them off Skenes, the top overall pick in last year’s amateur draft … Nolan Arenado also had two hits off Skenes, a single leading off the fifth and a double in the seventh that knocked Skenes out of the game, but each time he was stranded at third base … The Cardinals were 0-of-7 with a runner in scoring position and left at least one runner on second or third in the fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings … Gorman’s 15th home run of the season cut the lead to 2-1 leading off the ninth, and a two-out walk to Jose Fermin and a catcher’s interference call with Ivan Herrera at the plate – which came after a challenge by the Cardinals to review the play – put runners on first and second but Michael Siani struck out to end the game.
On the mound: Mikolas worked seven innings, losing his no-hit bid on a leadoff triple by Bryan Reynolds in the seventh off the center field wall, just out of the reach of a leaping Siani. Mikolas hit the next batter but got out of the jam on an unassisted double play by Arenado … He came out of the game after throwing 84 pitches with one walk and six strikeouts … JoJo Romero pitched around a leadoff double in the eighth but wildness by Helsley cost the Cardinals in the ninth when he walked the leadoff hitter, allowed a single and another walk to load the bases. A fielder’s choice scored the first run, followed by a sacrifice fly.
Key stat: This was the 14th time a Cardinals pitcher has allowed only one hit and no runs over seven or more innings in a game at Busch Stadium 3. It’s only the third time the Cardinals did not win the game, with the other two losses coming in extra innings.
Worth noting: Mikolas has not won a game at home since his final start of 2023, going 0-2 this season with four no-decisions … Steven Matz started for Double A Springfield Tuesday night but could not get out of the second inning, when he allowed five unearned runs, thanks in part to his own pair of fielding errors. He threw 35 pitches in 1 2/3 innings … Giovanny Gallegos worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks … Keynan Middleton underwent surgery to repair his flexor tendon in his right arm. He will not pitch this season … Former first-round pick Cooper Hjerpe was promoted from Peoria to Springfield on Tuesday. He will make his Double A debut on Wednesday … Jordan Walker hit his second home run of the year Tuesday night for Memphis, one of his three hits in the game at Norfolk.
Looking ahead: Sonny Gray will get the start on Wednesday night in the second game of the three-game series.
