Braxton Ashcraft, Pirates hold down Cardinals

Field Level Media|published: Thu 21st May, 16:08 2026

May 21, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft (35) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Braxton Ashcraft matched a career high with nine strikeouts in a 6-2 win for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday in the rubber match of a three-game set against the host St. Louis Cardinals.

Right-hander Ashcraft (3-2) held St. Louis to one run on four hits over seven innings. Marcell Ozuna went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Brandon Lowe went 2-for-4 with a solo home run for the Pirates, who have won two straight after a four-game losing streak.

Starting pitcher Dustin May (3-5) allowed four runs on six hits and two walks and struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings for the Cardinals, who have lost three of their past four games.

With the score even 1-1 after three innings, Pittsburgh pulled ahead in the top of the fourth.

Konnor Griffin reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, and advanced to third on Ozuna's single. Jake Mangum then drove Griffin in on a forceout for a 2-1 advantage.

In the sixth inning, Spencer Horwitz walked and Griffin followed with a double that moved Horwitz to third. Ozuna then singled through the gap into left field to bring in both Horwitz and Griffin to make it 4-1 for the visitors.

Mangum the singled to left to end May's outing, replaced by right-hander Gordon Graceffo.

Pittsburgh added two more off lefty Justin Bruihl, who took over to start the seventh.

Henry Davis snapped an 0-for-16 hit drought by slugging a first-pitch sinker into the Pirates' bullpen in left field to increase the lead to 5-1. Oneil Cruz doubled, moved to third on Lowe's single and came around on a Bryan Reynolds groundout to extend it to 6-1.

St. Louis narrowed its deficit to 6-2 in the bottom of the eighth against reliever Wilber Dotel. Ivan Herrera singled and, after going to second on an Alec Burleson base hit, scored on a Jordan Walker single.

Lowe put the Pirates ahead 1-0 with a solo shot off the top of the left field wall in the first inning.

Herrera tied it 1-1 in the bottom of the third, launching a first-pitch slider into the seats in left-center.

--Field Level Media