Pirates Close Out Series With 2-1 Win Over Cardinals

The Pittsburgh Pirates closed out their three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals with a 2-1 win led by Paul Skenes's start. 

Skenes had a strong last outing of his season, going 6.1 innings, allowing three hits, two walks, and an earned run, while striking out eight batters. It was a no-decision for Skenes as the score was 1-1 when he left the game.

The bullpen then shut it down, allowing only two hits. Mason Montgomery came in for the save and struck out all three batters he faced.

The Pirates scored their first run of the game courtesy of a Brandon Lowe RBI single, bringing Oneil Cruz home. Pittsburgh scored again in the bottom of the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by Spencer Horwitz, which brought in Ronny Simon, set up by a wild pitch and a throwing error earlier in the inning.

With Pittsburgh's win, they now enter their final series of the season with an 81-78 record. They weren't able to make the playoffs in 2026 and end their 11-year playoff drought, but the team improved from the 2025 season, when they finished 71-91.

The front office was more aggressive last season, adding players like Brandon Lowe, who has had a major impact.

Lowe has been the best hitter on the team, slashing .262/.332/.493 with 34 home runs, 29 doubles, 95 RBIs, 93 runs, and an .825 OPS. He is hitting free agency this offseason, and it will be pivotal to re-sign him.

It's clear that to improve the roster, the Pirates will need to add more talent to the lineup by re-signing Lowe. They could target a player like Ian Happ in free agency to add more power alongside Lowe.

Pittsburgh will also need Skenes to have a more consistent season in 2027, as he finished 2026 with a 3.82 ERA after posting a 1.96 ERA in 2024 and a 1.97 ERA in 2025.

Overall, the Pirates took a step forward this season and have young talent like Konnor Griffin to build upon. Griffin had a solid rookie campaign for Pittsburgh, slashing .270/.322/.393 with five home runs, 14 doubles, four triples, 31 RBIs, 42 runs, 23 stolen bases, and a .715 OPS in 77 games. 

The 20-year-old will look to finish out the season strong. The Pirates take on the Detroit Tigers in their final series, and with just one win in the three-game series, they will finish with a record over .500 for the season.