ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt and Brendan Donovan each hit home runs, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.
Donovan’s solo homer off Mitch Keller to start the sixth inning broke a 3-3 tie and extended his hitting streak to eight games, marking the first time the Cardinals have won consecutive games since May 29.
“A guy like that, you want to catch him more out in front because his stuff breaks into you,” Donovan said. “So, you try to be on time and sometimes, you get lucky in this ballpark.”
Lance Lynn pitched just 4 1/3 innings, ending a streak of four straight quality starts by Cardinals pitchers. He gave up three runs on four hits, walked three, and struck out five.
Lynn’s fifth strikeout of the game, against Ke’Bryan Hayes in the fifth inning, was his 987th as a Cardinal, moving him past Matt Morris for sixth place on the franchise’s all-time strikeout list.
“I left a decent outing on the table by not finishing the fifth, but the bullpen stepped up like they have all year and the offense pulled through,” Lynn said.
Chris Roycroft (1-0) earned his first major league decision as five Cardinals relievers combined for 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Andrew Kittredge secured his first save.
“I’m just at a loss for words right now,” Roycroft said. “It definitely means the world to me.”
Keller (8-4) allowed four runs on eight hits over six innings, striking out four without walking any batters, as the Pirates lost for the third time in four games. The home runs by Goldschmidt and Donovan were the first he had allowed in his last five starts.
“Mitch wasn’t at his best,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “He left some pitches over the plate, and they capitalized.”
Keller’s 45th consecutive start of at least five innings tied him with Ed Doheny (1903) for the fourth-longest streak in Pirates history.
Goldschmidt’s two-run homer in the third inning gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead, marking his first extra-base hit since June 3.
José Fermín sparked a two-out rally in the fourth with his first major league triple, scoring on a Pedro Pagés single to extend the lead to 3-0.
Bryan Reynolds’ bases-loaded infield single scored Jack Suwinski, prompting Lynn’s exit in the fifth. Oneil Cruz then hit a two-run single off reliever John King to tie the game at 3.
“That was a very good game,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “Our bullpen did a phenomenal job piecing it together.”
**TRANSACTIONS**
The Pirates activated RHP Dennis Santana and optioned RHP Ryder Ryan to Triple-A Indianapolis. Santana was claimed off waivers from the Yankees on Tuesday, where he had a 6.26 ERA in 27 1/3 innings.
**TRAINER’S ROOM**
Pirates: RHP Hunter Stratton left the game with right shoulder tightness after pitching a third of an inning in the eighth. INF Alika Williams (right wrist sprain) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Indianapolis.
Cardinals: RHP Giovanny Gallegos (right shoulder impingement) will pitch on Friday at Double-A Springfield, RHP Riley O’Brien (right forearm flexor strain) will pitch on Saturday at Springfield, and LHP Steven Matz (lower back strain) will pitch Sunday at Springfield.
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