PITTSBURGH — — Martín Pérez pitched six scoreless innings, Rowdy Tellez homered into the Allegheny River and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat St. Louis 5-0 on Wednesday to take two of three games from the Cardinals.
Pérez (2-5) allowed four hits, three in his final two innings, and walked five with two strikeouts. The 33-year-old left-hander entered with a 5.61 ERA after allowing 11 runs in 8 1/3 innings over his last two starts.
Tellez chased Matthew Liberatore (2-3) at the start of the fourth inning by sending a fastball 447 feet into the river beyond the wall in right field, extending the Pirates’ lead to five runs.
Liberatore allowed five runs on four hits in three innings, walking three and striking out three.
The Pirates have won eight of their last 10 games.
Connor Joe capped a four-run second inning with a two-out, two-run double to left-center, a liner that center fielder Dylan Carlson failed to bring in on a dive. Joe, batting third, picked up his first RBI since June 11.
RHP Sonny Gray (10-6, 3.54 ERA) starts Friday, beginning a three-game home series against the Washington Nationals, 6:20 with the pregame and the first pitch at 7:15 on KIRX.