Cardinals Rally in Seventh to Defeat Pirates 4-1: Saggese and Walker Lead St. Louis Past Pittsburgh

Thursday, August 28th, 2025

St. Louis Cardinals Secure 4-1 Victory Over Pittsburgh Pirates

The St. Louis Cardinals came from behind in the seventh inning, powered by Thomas Saggese’s go-ahead RBI double and Jordan Walker’s two-run homer, to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Thursday afternoon.

Pitching Highlights

Miles Mikolas pitched five solid innings for the Cardinals, allowing just one run on four hits, surrendering one walk, and striking out five. Kyle Leahy (4-1) delivered two scoreless frames in relief, recording four strikeouts. Riley O’Brien handled the eighth, and JoJo Romero closed the door in the ninth for his fifth save of the season.

Pirates rookie Braxton Ashcraft impressed with a career-best 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run on four hits and tallying five strikeouts. He was replaced by Yohan Ramírez (1-2) for the remainder of the game.

Game Recap

Tommy Pham put the Pirates on the board early with his eighth home run of the season, sending a 440-foot solo shot over the left-field bullpen in the first inning. The Cardinals responded in the third when Iván Herrera doubled to left, scoring Lars Nootbaar to tie the game at 1-1.

Key Moment

The game's momentum shifted in the seventh inning. Masyn Winn was hit by a pitch to lead off and scored on Thomas Saggese’s double to right-center, giving St. Louis a 2-1 lead. On the very next pitch, Jordan Walker launched his fifth home run of the season into the left-center field bleachers, widening the Cardinals' lead to 4-1.

Key Stat

Braxton Ashcraft has continued his strong performance since joining Pittsburgh’s rotation, posting a 1-0 record with an outstanding 1.19 ERA over 19 innings in four starts since August 9.

Up Next

For their next series, the Pirates will send right-hander Paul Skenes (8-9, 2.09 ERA) to the mound in the opener against the Boston Red Sox, who have yet to announce their starter. The Cardinals are set to begin a three-game set in Cincinnati, with lefty Matthew Liberatore (6-11, 4.27 ERA) facing right-hander Zack Littell (9-8, 3.62 ERA).

In summary

The St. Louis Cardinals utilized timely hitting and strong bullpen work to secure a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Key contributions came from Thomas Saggese and Jordan Walker in a decisive seventh inning, while both teams’ starting pitchers showed promise. The Cardinals improve their momentum heading into their next series, while the Pirates’ rookie Braxton Ashcraft continues to shine despite the loss.

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