Game result and context
Pittsburgh Pirates defeat St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 in 2026 regular season matchup
The Pittsburgh Pirates secured a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, September 24, 2026. The game was decided in the eighth inning, breaking a tie that had held since the first frame.
Final result
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the St. Louis Cardinals with a final score of 2-1. The game concluded after nine innings of play.
With this result, the Pittsburgh Pirates move to a record of 81-78 on the season. The St. Louis Cardinals fall to 77-82.
How the game changed
The scoring began early when Alec Burleson hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 1-0 lead. The Pittsburgh Pirates responded in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1.
The score remained deadlocked until the bottom of the eighth inning, when the Pirates pushed across the go-ahead run. Brandon Lowe provided the decisive RBI, and the Pirates held the lead through the ninth to secure the win.
Key performances
Paul Skenes started for the Pittsburgh Pirates and delivered 6.1 innings of work, allowing only one earned run while striking out eight batters. Mason Montgomery earned his 17th save of the season, pitching a scoreless ninth inning and striking out three.
For the St. Louis Cardinals, Alec Burleson accounted for the team's only run with his first-inning home run. Cooper Hjerpe contributed 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, while Kyle Leahy pitched 2.0 innings, allowing one earned run and striking out three.
Season and playoff context
As of September 24, 2026, the Pittsburgh Pirates hold a 81-78 record, placing them third in their division, 18.5 games back. They are currently ranked fifth in the wild-card standings, 6.5 games out of a spot, with an elimination number of E.
The St. Louis Cardinals hold a 77-82 record, placing them fourth in their division, 22.5 games back. They are seventh in the wild-card race, 10.5 games back, with an elimination number of E.