Pirates end 8-game skid with win over Cardinals

[September 18, 2020]  Gregory Polanco hit a three-run homer and left-hander Steven Brault pitched his first career complete game Thursday night as the Pittsburgh Pirates ended their eight-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

Jacob Stallings added an RBI double for the Pirates (15-34).

Tommy Edman had an RBI single for St. Louis (22-24), which has lost five of its past seven games.

Brault (1-3) gave up two hits, both singles, struck out eight and walked two while delivering a career-high 110 pitches. He retired the final 16 Cardinals batters.

He had gone 13 appearances, including six losses, since his most recent win on Sept. 1, 2019. He was making his ninth start this year. He had never pitched beyond seven innings in his career.

St. Louis starter Dakota Hudson was lifted because of right-elbow tightness after two strong innings. He gave up one hit. There was no immediate update on the severity of the problem.

It thus became a bullpen game for the Cardinals. Austin Gomber (0-1) followed Hudson and allowed four runs and four hits, with two walks and two strikeouts, in 1 2/3 innings.

St. Louis opened the scoring in the third. Rangel Ravelo became the first Cardinals baserunner with a one-out walk. He went to second on Kolten Wong's single to center and scored on Edman's single to right.

Pittsburgh took the lead in the fourth after Gomber replaced Hudson. Gomber walked Colin Moran and Josh Bell, then struck out Erik Gonzalez and Bryan Reynolds. Polanco lined his sixth homer to right-center for a 3-1 Pirates lead.

Pirates second baseman Kevin Newman (27) and right fielder Gregory Polanco (25) celebrate after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park. Pittsburgh won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Newman singled and scored on Stallings' double to right-center to make the score 4-1.

Against Tyler Webb in the fifth, Ke'Bryan Hayes led off with a double to right-center, went to third on Moran's infield hit, and scored on Bell's sacrifice fly for a 5-1 Pittsburgh edge.

--Field Level Media

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