PITTSBURGH — Jose Fermin hit a tiebreaking two-run double after Pedro Pages and JJ Wetherholt hit consecutive homers — all in the ninth inning — as the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 Monday night after breaking up a perfect game bid in the seventh inning.

With the Pirates leading 2-0, four Pittsburgh pitchers combined to shut down the Cardinals through 6ª innings before Alec Burleson legged out a two-out, infield single off Evan Sisk in the seventh.

Pages’ and Wetherholt’s home runs off Dennis Santana (2-2) lifted the Cardinals into a 2-all tie before Fermin’s double into the left-field corner scored Victor Scott II and Burleson, giving St. Louis a 4-2 lead.

Ryan Fernandez (1-0) earned the win and George Soriano got a ground out, strikeout and, after a single by Nick Gonzales, a fly out for his first save as the Cardinals snapped a four-game skid.

Pittsburgh opener Mason Montgomery and Justin Lawrence each pitched an inning and Wilber Dotel worked the next four, striking out three. Sisk pitched two-thirds of an inning before he replaced by Isaac Mattson after allowing the Cardinals’ first hit. The Pirates carried their two-run lead into the ninth before Santana blew the save.

The Pirates scored one run in each of the first two innings on RBI singles by Ryan O’Hearn and Jake Mangum off Dustin May In six innings, May allowed two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

Game notes

n Burleson and Fermin had two hits apiece for St. Louis. The Pirates got two hits each from Gonzales and Mangum.

n Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz was a late scratch because of illness.

Up next

Cardinals RHP Kyle Leahy (2-3, 5.63 ERA) is expected to face Pirates RHP Braxton Ashcraft (1-1, 2.43) on Tuesday night.

Triolo in town

Several media outlets on Monday reported that the Pirates’ Jared Triolo will continue his rehab assignment this week in Altoona.

Triolo was injured during the Pirates home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on April 3. He was placed on the 10-day injured list the following day.

He was at PNC Park on Monday afternoon. The 28-year-old is rehabbing a right knee patellar tendon injury and made a pit stop back in Pittsburgh as he rehab assignment is set to transfer from Low-A Bradenton to Double-A Altoona.

Tonight the Curve host the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Triolo played in a pair of games with the Marauders over the weekend.

Happy birthday Konnor

A bounce house stood in the middle of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ clubhouse before Monday night’s game against St. Louis, courtesy of NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes.

Skenes rented the inflatable kids’ attraction as a part of a belated celebration for rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin, who turned 20 on Friday and celebrated by hitting his first major league home run in a win at Milwaukee.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t get to get in it, but I love it,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said of the bounce house. “Teammates, it’s good camaraderie and I know that Konnor’s a great sport about it. There are not too many guys that get to celebrate their 20th birthday in the big leagues. Really cool.”

Griffin made his debut on April 3 after being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis. He signed a $140 million, nine-year contract five days later.

The Minor League Player of the Year last season, Griffin is hitting .224 with one homer and six stolen bases in 22 games. He was the Pirates’ first-round pick in the 2024 amateur draft.