Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Isaac Mattson, right, celebrates with catcher Henry Davis, after getting the final out of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

PITTSBIRGH — Mitch Keller pitched seven innings, Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a two-run single in a four-run eighth and the Pittsburgh Pirates shut out St. Louis over a three-game series, winning 5-0 Wednesday to extend their winning streak to a season-high six.

Pittsburgh pitchers extended their scoreless streak to 31 innings as the Pirates finished a 6-0 homestand that started against the New York Mets in which they outscored opponents 43-4.

Keller (3-10) won his second straight start following a 15-start winless streak. He allowed five hits, struck out seven and walked one. Dennis Santana and Isaac Mattson completed the six-hitter with one inning each.

Pittsburgh, last in the NL Central, hadn’t had three straight shutouts since 2015. The Cardinals were blanked in three consecutive games for the first time since 2022.

San Diego shut out Colorado in three straight games from April 11-13.

Tommy Pham hit an RBI single in the first off Sonny Gray (8-3), who allowed four runs and five hits over 7• innings in his first start since a one-hit shutout at Cleveland.

Gray retired 14 straight batters until walking Nick Gonzales starting the eighth. Pham had another run-scoring single, Kiner-Falefa followed with his single and Spencer Horwitz followed with an RBI single.

St. Louis was 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners. The Cardinals were without first baseman Willson Contreras (bruised left hand) and third baseman Nolan Arenado (jammed right middle finger).

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Wednesday that he is hopeful Contreras and Arenado can play Friday when St. Louis opens a three-game series against the National League Central-leading Cubs in Chicago.

The Cardinals entered play Wednesday in third place in the division, four games behind the Cubs. St. Louis has an off day on Thursday.

Contreras, a three-time All-Star, is hitting .248 with 11 home runs in 82 games. An eight-time All-Star, Arenado has a .247 batting average and 10 homers in 80 games.

Key stat

St. Louis has gone a franchise-record 49 innings in a row without scoring against a fellow NL Central team.

Key moment

St. Louis stranded the bases loaded in the first inning when Thomas Saggese grounded out.

Up next

Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (4-5, 5.76) starts Friday’s series opener at the Chicago Cubs.

Pirates: Start a weekend series at Seattle.