Pirates Power on Full Display in Win Over Cardinals

Aug 29, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Rafael Flores Jr. (43) is congratulated by left fielder Bryan Reynolds (10) after hitting a three-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pirates Power on Full Display in Win Over Cardinals

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Aug 29, 2026 5:15 PM ET

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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates hadn't displayed the power they possess in recent games, but finally got going on that front.

The Pirates hit two home runs and used a strong pitching performance for a 6-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Aug. 29.

Pittsburgh ties up the series, losing the series opener 4-1 to St. Louis on Aug. 28, and can go for the series victory on Aug. 29.

The Pirates improve to 66-71 with the win and the Cardinals fall below .500, 68-69 with the loss.

Home Runs Lead Way for Pirates

Second baseman Brandon Lowe got the Pirates going early, hitting a solo home run in the second at-bat of the game, putting the Pirates up 1-0.

Lowe took a first-pitch slider inside from Cardinals right-handed starting pitcher Kyle Leahy and sent it just 94.4 mph and 364 feet that got just over the right field wall.

Catcher Rafael Flores Jr. had a much more impressive home run in the fifth inning, a three-run shot that increased the Pirates' lead to 5-1.

Flores got a hanging slider over the middle of the plate from Cardinals left-handed pitcher Brycen Mautz and sent it 108.6 mph and 434 feet to deep center field.

RFJ CLOBBERS a 3-run homer! pic.twitter.com/dXUDIckwDp
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 29, 2026

Both players hadn't hit home runs since Aug. 19 vs. the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park, with Flores hitting two solo home runs off the bench, the first in the seventh inning and the second tying it up in the ninth inning, while Lowe hit the walk-off home run in the ninth inning to win it 4-3.

Flores became the first Pirates player to hit two home runs off the bench in a single game and has seven home runs in August, while Lowe has hit a team-high 28 home runs in 2026.

The Pirates added two runs with an RBI single from shortstop Jacob Gonzalez in the fourth inning to give them a 2-1 lead, and an RBI double from designated hitter Nick Gonzales in the ninth inning to make it 6-2.

Pirates Bullpen Puts Up Great Showing vs. Cardinals

This was a bullpen game for the Pirates, and they needed the very best from their relief pitchers against the Cardinals.

Right-handed pitcher Lake Bachar took the mound and threw two scoreless innings before giving up a solo leadoff home run to Cardinals rookie left fielder Joshua Baéz in the third inning.

Left-handed relief pitcher Evan Sisk loaded the bases and got just one out in the third inning, but right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski came in and excelled for the Pirates.

He got a fly out to end the third inning unscathed and gave up just one hit over 3.1 innings out of the bullpen.

Mlodzinski even dealt with three errors on three consecutive batters in the sixth inning, scoring a run, but got the next two batters out to finish off a strong outing.

The Pirates then got three scoreless innings from three different pitchers, left-handed Gregory Soto in the seventh inning, right-handed Luke Weaver in the eighth inning and then southpaw Mason Montgomery for his fifth save of August.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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