09/24/26 02:34:00
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09/24 14:32 CDT Pirates beat the Cardinals 2-1 to secure their first non-losing
season since 2018
Pirates beat the Cardinals 2-1 to secure their first non-losing season since
2018
By WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) --- Ronny Simon raced home on Spencer Horwitz's eighth inning
sacrifice fly and the Pittsburgh Pirates assured themselves of the club's first
non-losing season in eight years with a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on
Thursday.
Simon reached on a walk by Ryne Stanek (2-3), advanced to second on a wild
pitch and scooted to third when the throw from catcher Ivan Herrera skipped
into center field for an error. Horwitz's flyball to center was plenty deep
enough for Simon to score.
Luke Weaver (4-1) got the final out of the eighth for Pittsburgh. Mason
Montgomery struck out the side in the ninth for his 17th save in 19 chances as
Pittsburgh improved to 81-78 with three games to go. The club's previous
non-losing season came in 2018 when it won 82 games.
Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes ended an uneven year by his
standards with 6 1/3 excellent innings in his 32nd and final start.
The 24-year-old, whose performance this year has been met with mild criticism
locally, allowed one run, three hits and two walks and six strikeouts. He
received a loud ovation when he was removed by manager Don Kelly after
recording his 200th strikeout of the season when Cardinals designated hitter
Leo Bernal was caught looking leading off the seventh.
Skenes became just the second pitcher in the franchise's 145-year history to
reach 200 strikeouts in consecutive seasons. He finished 10-11 with a 3.82 ERA,
nearly double the MLB-leading 1.97 ERA he posted in 2025.
St. Louis fell to 77-82, assured of consecutive losing seasons for the first
time since the shortened 1994 and 1995 seasons.
Alec Burleson hit his 24th homer of the season in the first inning for the
Cardinals.
Up next
The Cardinals wrap up the season with a three-game set at NL Central champion
Milwaukee while Pittsburgh heads to Detroit to face the Tigers.
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