**Arenado, Herrera Back Gray in Cardinals’ 4-2 Win Against Pirates**
ST. LOUIS — Nolan Arenado’s timely bat and a solid outing from right-hander Jack Gray helped lift the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night at Busch Stadium. The win allowed the Cardinals to maintain momentum in their quest for a playoff spot in the National League.
Gray, making his second start of the season, delivered a strong performance on the mound, going 6.1 innings and allowing just two runs on five hits. He struck out five batters and issued only one walk, keeping the Pirates off balance throughout the game.
“It was great to see Jack go out there and give us a strong start,” said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol. “He kept his pitch count in check and executed when he needed to. That’s what you want from a guy in his second start.”
The Cardinals struck early, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Nolan Arenado, the Cardinals’ All-Star third baseman, crushed a two-out RBI double into the left-center field gap, scoring Paul Goldschmidt from second base. It was Arenado’s 89th RBI of the season, further solidifying his status as one of the league’s premier hitters.
“I just tried to stay within myself and take what they were giving me,” said Arenado after the game. “It feels good to come through in those situations and give the team a boost.”
Pittsburgh responded in the top of the third with a solo home run from Bryan Reynolds to tie the game 1-1. However, the Cardinals regained the lead in the fourth inning. Rookie second baseman Masyn Winn led off with a single and later scored on an RBI double by top prospect Jordan Walker, making it 2-1 St. Louis.
The Pirates threatened again in the seventh inning, pulling within 3-2 when Ke’Bryan Hayes delivered an RBI single off Gray, but the Cardinals bullpen, led by Giovanny Gallegos, was able to limit the damage. Gallegos recorded the final two outs of the inning and earned his 18th save of the season, securing the win for the Cardinals.
The game was punctuated in the bottom of the eighth, when Arenado added some insurance with an RBI single, scoring Goldschmidt once again, to give the Cardinals a 4-2 advantage. Arenado’s multi-RBI night was crucial for St. Louis, who have struggled with consistency throughout the season.
“The bullpen did a great job of locking things down, and Arenado’s at-bats were key,” said Goldschmidt, who went 1-for-3 with a walk in the game. “It’s always good to get those insurance runs late, especially when the game is tight.”
With the win, the Cardinals improve to 74-68 on the season, while the Pirates drop to 62-81. St. Louis will look to extend their winning streak with a series finale against Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon.
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