PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt homered in his career-high fourth straight game, powering the St. Louis Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 on Thursday for a four-game sweep.
Goldschmidt drove a changeup from Joe Musgrove (7-9) for his 22nd home run, a solo shot that put St. Louis ahead 3-1 in the fourth. He has one homer in each of his past five games against Pittsburgh.
Kolten Wong homered later in the fourth and Dexter Fowler hit a two-run drive for a 6-1 margin in the fifth as the Cardinals won for the 11th time in 14 games since the All-Star break, including their last five. The Pirates have lost 11 of 13.
Miles Mikolas (7-10) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings.
Musgrove matched his season high by giving up six runs — five earned — and seven hits in five innings.
José Martinez hit an RBI single in the first and scored on Paul DeJong’s sacrifice fly. Bryan Reynolds’s sacrifice fly cut the Cardinals’ lead to 2-1 in the third.
Right-hander Alex McRae, recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis, followed Musgrove and gave up one walk in 1 2/3 innings. To make room on the 25-man roster, right-hander Luis Escobar was optioned to Indianapolis.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (4-6), seeking his first win since May 14, starts Friday against Houston. He has given up two runs in 18 1/3 innings in his past three starts.
Pirates: RHP Dario Agrazal (2-0) starts Friday at the New York Mets. The 24-year-old rookie has allowed eight runs — seven earned — in 28 innings over five starts.