Andre Pallante outduels Paul Skenes to lead St. Louis to 4-0 win over Pittsburgh

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andre Pallante outdueled rookie Paul Skenes, striking out a career-high nine over seven innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 on Monday night.

“I'm very focused on me versus the hitters," Pallante said. “I'm just trying to pitch the best I can regardless of who I'm going against. He's a really good pitcher. You kind of know it's going to be a tight game, but I'm glad we pulled ahead."

Pallante (7-8) allowed four hits and one walk. Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Fernandez each pitched a perfect inning, finishing a four-hitter and the ninth shutout for the Cardinals this season.

“He just pounded the zone,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said of Pallante. “He got ahead of everybody, and the slider was a big pitch for him. He landed that a ton."

Skenes (10-3) gave up one run and four hits in six innings with seven strikeouts and one walk, falling to 0-2 in three starts against St. Louis.

“I had to do some things I haven't done, necessarily,” Skenes said. “At this point of the season, they've seen everything, so it turns into playing the game of baseball. We had a good plan and executed it pretty well.”

Skenes’ 2.07 ERA is the second-lowest through a pitcher’s first 21 starts since ERA became an official statistic in both leagues in 1913, trailing only Steve Rogers’ 1.95 for Montreal in 1973 and 74.

“I think it speaks to how good he is,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “He's faced teams in the division multiple times, and they've gotten a look at him. He's made adjustments off it, using the fastball tonight, using the changeup.”

Skenes threw his 94th pitch of 100 mph or more, retiring Paul Goldschmidt on a grounder that ended a nine-pitch at-bat in the fourth inning. No other starting pitcher has thrown more than 40 pitches of at least 100 mph this season.

Nolan Arenado hit an RBI single in the fourth after Alec Burleson reached on a grounder to shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa that was originally ruled an error and then was changed to a hit.

Pedro Pagés greeted Colin Holderman with an RBI single in the seventh. Brendan Donovan had an RBI double in the ninth and Lars Nootbaar followed with a sacrifice fly.

“He's good, man.” Arenado said of Skenes. “I thought we battled pretty good. He made some great pitches. We found a way to scrap that game. Credit to Pallante who went out there and was pitching a great game for us."

Nick Yorke started at second base for Pittsburgh and went 0 for 3 with a stolen base in his major league debut. Yorke's contract was selected from Indianapolis and the Pirates optioned Alika Williams to their Triple-A farm team.

Yorke, 22, was the 17th overall pick by Boston in the 2020 amateur draft and was acquired from the Red Sox on July 30 for right-hander Quinn Priester. Yorke hit .355 with two home runs and 26 RBIs in 40 games for Indianapolis.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: OF Oneil Cruz was held out of the lineup with left ankle discomfort that manager Derek Shelton says is related to his ankle fracture that caused him to miss a majority of the 2023 season. ... RHP Kyle Nicolas left with a member of the Pittsburgh medical staff after walking Goldschmidt, his only batter, leading off the eighth. Shelton said it was a left side injury but did not have any additional information.

Cardinals: C Willson Contreras (fractured right middle finger) will miss the remainder of the regular season.

UP NEXT

Pirates LHP Bailey Falter (8-7, 4.20 ERA) will face Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn (6-4, 3.96 ERA) Tuesday night.

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St. Louis Cardinals' Pedro Pages heads to first on an RBI single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages follows through on an RBI single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado, right, scores past Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal during the eighth inning of a baseball game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Donovan, left, is tagged out by Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal during the eighth inning of a baseball game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado (28) and Paul Goldschmidt (46) celebrate a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates following a baseball game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes pauses after giving up an RBI single to St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado during the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante celebrates after striking out Pittsburgh Pirates' Jared Triolo to end the top of the seventh inning of a baseball game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

CHICAGO (AP) — Tyler Soderstrom homered and was 2 for 4 and Zack Gelof hit a double to take the lead in the eighth as the Athletics beat the Cubs 5-3, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to become the first major league team to earn a spot in the playoffs, on Wednesday.

Chicago’s loss clinches a playoff berth for the Brewers, who won the National League Central division for the third time in four years.

The 22-year-old Soderstrom scored two runs and batted in two more to help Oakland to a series victory over the Cubs, the Athletics' first since 2013. Brent Rooker was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a pair of walks.

Tyler Ferguson (4-2) picked up the win after throwing a hitless seventh inning, and Michel Otañez struck out two in the eighth. Mason Miller earned his 27th save of the year, setting a new franchise rookie record.

“Coming into the season and through spring training, we saw the confidence, we saw the demeanor and the ability to handle that high-leverage situation," A's manager Mark Kotsay said about Miller. "We started him out right at the beginning of the year in that closing role, and he's just had such a great season doing it. The confidence that this club has turning the ball over to him feels really good.”

Oakland sits at just 67-86 in the standings, third-worst in the American League. Despite the A's 2024 struggles, a 5-4 road trip against the Astros, White Sox and Cubs, along with a 30-25 record since the All-Star Break, have given Oakland players confidence and hope as they look to finish the season strong and build momentum into 2025.

“At this point of the year, obviously out of playoff contention, it'd be pretty easy to just mail that one in in the fifth or sixth inning and try to get back on the road and get back home, but that's not the character of this group,” Rooker said. “The group of guys in here is going to go out there and fight until the last out and try to win every game possible, and that's what we did.”

Batting in just his fourth game since returning from a left wrist injury, Soderstrom hit a home run in the fourth inning to mark his first long ball since June 28 and give Oakland the lead, 1-0.

The Cubs were held to just two hits through four innings, but finally connected in the fifth. With the bases loaded, Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki hit RBI singles and Cody Bellinger’s sacrifice fly made it 3-1.

The streak of hits ended rookie pitcher Brady Basso’s day after 4 2/3 innings. He gave up three runs on six hits and two walks, but struck out five.

Soderstrom and Tyler Nevin each singled in the seventh, and Lawrence Butler and Rooker brought them home to tie it up.

Gelof’s RBI double in the eighth regained the lead for Oakland. Gelof advanced to third on the throw, putting him in position to score and take a 5-3 lead on a hard-hit grounder to second by Soderstrom.

Justin Steele had a short return to action in his first game back from elbow tendinitis, going just 2 2/3 innings. He allowed two hits and three walks to go along with a strikeout, then was taken out after loading the bases in the third. Ethan Roberts took over for the final out, and zero earned runs were attached to Steele. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said before the game that he expected Steele’s Wednesday start to be short and that he planned to slowly reintroduce him to playing again.

Nate Pearson (2-2) took the loss after giving up two runs in 1 1/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: Activated Steele and RHP Jorge López from the 15-day injured list and optioned RHP Daniel Palencia and RHP Jack Neely to Triple-A Iowa. Steele last played in August before starting Wednesday. … Counsell said of RHP Hunter Wesneski, out since July 19 (forearm), “he’ll be active when we feel like there’s a need and it’s appropriate, but he’s ready to go.”

UP NEXT

RHP Javier Assad (7-5, 3.27 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for Chicago in Thursday’s series opener against the Nationals, while the A’s expect J.T. Ginn (0-1, 4.94) to start Friday at home against the Yankees.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Oakland Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom, right, celebrates with Tyler Nevin after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Brady Basso throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Ethan Roberts looks down after Oakland Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom hit a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele reacts after Oakland Athletics' Brent Rooker hit a single during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele, right, throws out Oakland Athletics' Shea Langeliers at first during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Brady Basso celebrates with teammates in the dugout after the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson hits a one-run single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Oakland Athletics' Seth Brown, left, scores past Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya after Oakland Athletics' Zack Gelof hit a one-run double during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Oakland Athletics' Zack Gelof hits a one-run double during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Oakland Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)