J.A. Happ combined with a trio of relievers on a one-hitter, Tommy Edman and Paul DeJong homered early and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the skidding Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Tuesday night.
Happ struck out five and walked two. Alex Reyes notched his 26th save.
RookieDylan Carlson had three of the Cardinals’ eight hits and scored on shortstop Kevin Newman’s fielding error during a two-run sixth inning that pushed the lead to 3-1. Harrison Bader followed the miscue with an RBI single.
Tyler O’Neill sat out after having his second COVID-19 vaccination shot earlier in the day.
RHP Jack Flaherty (strained left oblique) will be activated from the 60-day injured list Friday and start at Kansas City that night. He has been out since June 1.
RHP Miles Mikolas (right forearm tightness) will make one more rehab start before activated. He has pitched twice for Triple-A Memphis and twice for Double-A Springfield.
RHP Adam Wainwright (10-6, 3.48) starts for the Cardinals on Wednesday night, 5:10 with the pregame and the first pitch at 6:05 on KIRX.
First place Milwaukee leads second place Cincinnati by 7 games, the third place Cardinals are 11 games out.