The St. Louis Cardinals handled the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Friday, August 28 at Busch Stadium, getting a sharp start from Quinn Mathews and a three-hit performance from Jordan Walker to take the division matchup in nine innings. Jimmy Crooks supplied the decisive blow with a two-run home run, and a four-man bullpen effort preserved the lead the rest of the way. It was a clean, complete win for the Cardinals in a game that was never seriously in doubt after the middle innings.

Quinn Mathews Controls the Pirates Lineup for 5.2 Innings

Mathews was the story on the mound. The left-hander went 5.2 innings, allowing one earned run on five hits and one walk while punching out seven batters. He worked efficiently enough to keep Pittsburgh off the board until the Cardinals had already built their cushion, and he exits with the win. It was the kind of outing a rotation needs from a young arm — competitive, composed, and long enough to protect the bullpen.

Pittsburgh's Jared Jones lasted just 4.2 innings on the other side. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits and struck out six, but the Cardinals kept putting the ball in play and made him work for every out. Jones takes the loss.

Jordan Walker and Jimmy Crooks Pace the Cardinals Offense

Walker was locked in from the first pitch, going 3-for-4 and reaching base consistently to keep Pittsburgh's pitching under pressure all night. He didn't drive in a run, but his presence at the top of the lineup set the table repeatedly.

José Fermín added two hits in four at-bats, giving the Cardinals three players with multiple-hit nights among the box score highlights.

The biggest swing belonged to Crooks. The catcher connected for a two-run home run off Jones, the hit that effectively put the game away. One hit, one home run, two RBI — a productive night at exactly the right moment in a tight divisional game.

Bullpen Closes the Door Without Drama

After Mathews exited, Ryan Fernandez was outstanding. He covered two full innings, allowed no hits, walked one, and struck out two — a clean bridge to the back end. Caleb Ferguson handled a third of an inning before Ryne Stanek came on to close it out. Stanek was sharp, retiring the side in the ninth with two strikeouts and no baserunners to earn the save.

Pittsburgh's best threats came from Jared Triolo, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Oneil Cruz, who went 2-for-4. But the Cardinals bullpen didn't let either of them do damage when it mattered.

Key Performances at a Glance

  • Jordan Walker: 3-for-4, 0 RBI
  • Jimmy Crooks: 1-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI
  • José Fermín: 2-for-4, 0 RBI
  • Quinn Mathews: 5.2 IP, 7 K, 1 ER (Win)
  • Ryan Fernandez: 2.0 IP, 2 K, 0 ER, 0 H
  • Ryne Stanek: 1.0 IP, 2 K, 0 ER (Save)

What's Next for the Cardinals

St. Louis and Pittsburgh will continue their series at Busch Stadium with the next game on the schedule. The Cardinals took care of business in the opener, getting contributions up and down the lineup and solid work from both the starter and the relief corps. That formula — contact at the plate, starting pitching that goes deep enough, and a clean bullpen — is exactly what you want to see in a division series.