Tommy Pham’s Clutch Hit, Bubba Chandler’s First Win Lead Pirates Past Cardinals 2-1 in St. Louis – August 27, 2025

Wednesday, August 27th, 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates Edge Out St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 in Tight MLB Matchup

The Pittsburgh Pirates secured a narrow 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in a competitive MLB game on August 27, 2025. Tommy Pham delivered the decisive blow with a two-run single in the sixth inning, pushing the Pirates ahead and ultimately sealing the win at Busch Stadium.

Bubba Chandler Shines in Relief

Highly-touted rookie Bubba Chandler, making just his second major league appearance, was instrumental out of the bullpen. Chandler (1-0) tossed four scoreless innings in relief of starter Carmen Mlodzinski. The 6-foot-3 right-hander gave up just one hit, struck out three, and walked one, earning his first career win.

Pirates Rally in the Sixth Inning

Isiah Kiner-Falefa doubled to lead off the pivotal sixth inning against Cardinals starter Sonny Gray (12-7). Jared Triolo walked and Spencer Horwitz reached on a throwing error by first baseman Willson Contreras, loading the bases. After Bryan Reynolds grounded into a force out at home, Tommy Pham delivered a clutch two-run single up the middle, putting the Pirates in front for good.

Cardinals Strike First, Pirates Hold the Line

Masyn Winn singled with two outs in the second inning, and Thomas Saggese drew a walk. Pedro Pagés then singled, giving the Cardinals an early 1-0 advantage. However, Pittsburgh’s pitching staff clamped down, keeping St. Louis off the board for the remainder of the game.

Strong Bullpen Performance Helps Secure the Win

Isaac Mattson worked a scoreless eighth inning for the Pirates, and Dennis Santana closed things out, earning his 10th save of the season out of 12 opportunities. On the Cardinals' side, Sonny Gray was tagged with the tough loss, despite allowing just two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks across seven innings. Matt Svanson chipped in with two scoreless innings in relief.

Pirates End Road Skid

With this victory, the Pirates won consecutive road games for the first time since completing a three-game sweep against the Giants to end July. They also clinched the season series against the Cardinals for just the second time in the last twelve seasons.

Key Moment

In the third inning, Carmen Mlodzinski found himself in a jam with runners at the corners and one out. He responded by striking out Alec Burleson and Willson Contreras to escape the threat and keep the deficit at just 1-0.

Key Stat

Pittsburgh officially won the season series versus St. Louis for only the second time in the past twelve years.

Up Next

The Pirates look to keep their momentum in the series finale, as right-hander Braxton Ashcraft (4-2, 2.70 ERA) is set to start opposite Cardinals righty Miles Mikolas (6-10, 5.17 ERA) on Thursday.

In summary

The Pittsburgh Pirates overcame an early deficit and used timely hitting from Tommy Pham, along with stellar relief pitching from Bubba Chandler, to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1. The victory gives the Pirates a rare season series win over the Cardinals and extends their road win streak. Key moments on the mound and in the batter's box propelled Pittsburgh to an important late-August win as the season heads toward its final month.

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