Cardinals set season high in runs, blow past Pirates

Field Level Media|published: Tue 28th April, 21:42 2026

Apr 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Ivan Herrera (48) steals second base as Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (6) looks on during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Nolan Gorman and Victor Scott II homered Tuesday night, while Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson each knocked in three runs as the visiting St. Louis Cardinals outslugged the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-7.

St. Louis scored multiple runs in four different innings, finishing with 12 hits. The Cards were efficient, going 5 of 16 with runners in scoring position and stranding only seven runners. The Cardinals collected six extra-base hits and reached double figures in runs for the first time this year.

Kyle Leahy (3-3) garnered the win, scattering nine hits and allowing three runs in 5 1/3 innings. He walked none and fanned seven.

Braxton Ashcraft (1-2) absorbed the loss, permitting six runs on six hits and three walks while whiffing seven. Ashcraft and reliever Hunter Barco combined to issue five walks and Pittsburgh chipped in two errors.

Gorman got the onslaught started in the second with his fourth homer of the year, jumping on a first-pitch fastball and walloping it over the seats in right field. Scott led off the third with his first homer, belting it an estimated 415 feet to right.

Walker tacked on an RBI single later in the inning for a 3-0 lead. St. Louis doubled its lead in the fifth, getting a run-scoring double from Burleson plus sacrifice flies from Walker and Gorman.

Leahy cruised into the sixth inning before the Pirates got back into the game briefly. Oneil Cruz launched a leadoff homer to center, his ninth of the year, and Ryan O'Hearn drilled his fifth homer, a two-run shot with Bryan Reynolds aboard to cut the margin to 6-3.

But the Cardinals responded in their half of the seventh with three more runs. Walker's second RBI single, an infield out from Gorman and Masyn Winn's run-scoring single restored a six-run lead.

St. Louis made it 11-3 in the eighth when Burleson laced a two-run double to right-center. Pittsburgh scored three runs in its half of the eighth on O'Hearn's RBI single and a two-run single by Nick Gonzales.

Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin homered to lead off the bottom of the ninth for the Pirates, his second.

--Field Level Media