Burleson's double lifts Cardinals past Pirates 2-1; Skenes' troubles against St. Louis continue

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Alec Burleson hit a two-run double, Matthew Liberatore struck out eight in a season-high seven innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Liberatore (3-3) allowed just one run on three hits and three walks as the Cardinals won a season-high fourth game in a row. Gordon Graceffo earned his first career save with a perfect ninth.

Paul Skenes (3-4) allowed two runs on three hits in six innings, striking out six and walking four as Pittsburgh lost its sixth straight game and for the ninth time in its last 10 games. Skenes fell to 0-4 in five career starts against St. Louis.

Burleson’s two-out double in the sixth inning off Skenes scored Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras. Burleson (6 for 15) has more career hits off Skenes than any other major leaguer.

Ke’Bryan Hayes’ opposite field double scored Oneil Cruz to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning. Hayes has hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games and it was his third multihit game out of his last four.

Hayes’ hit snapped a five-inning hitless stretch for Liberatore, who had retired 17 of the previous 19 batters he faced.

Contreras, who walked twice, extended his on-base streak to nine games.

After the Pirates took the lead in the top of the sixth, Skenes retired the first two batters before running into trouble in the bottom of the frame. Arenado started the rally with a single and Contreras walked before Burleson’s double.

In his five starts against the Cardinals spanning 32 2/3 innings, Skenes has received just three total runs of support.

Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (1-3, 4.38 ERA) starts Wednesday in the series finale, and RHP Sonny Gray (3-1, 4.12 ERA) goes for the Cardinals.

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