Paul Skenes lost for the first time as a professional.
Alec Burleson hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning that lifted the St. Louis Cardinals past the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Tuesday night and sent the 22-year-old rookie to his first defeat since college.
Taking the mound for the first time since starting for the National League in last week’s All-Star Game, the 22-year-old right-hander pitched past the seventh inning for the first time in 12 major league starts but lost for the first time in 24 professional appearances.
Nolan Arenado put St. Louis ahead with a fifth-inning home run on a first-pitch curveball. Nick Gonzales tied the score with an RBI single in the eighth off JoJo Romero.
Skenes (6-1) threw 91 pitches through eight innings, and Pirates manager Derek Shelton allowed him to remain on the mound for the ninth. The crowd of 32,422 chanted “M-V-P!” as Skenes emerged from the dugout.
Michael Siani doubled down the left-field line on a 1-2 fastball leading off. He was called out at second by umpire Sean Barber, but a video review showed Siani’s left hand slapped the base before Gonzales’ tag following the throw from left fielder Bryan Reynolds.
Siani took third on Masyn Winn’s groundout and scored when Burleson lined an 0-2 fastball into right on Skenes’ 104th and final pitch.
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