Paul Goldschmidt's homer sends Pirates to 5th loss in 6 games

ST. LOUIS — Paul Goldschmidt was looking for a single. He ended up getting a whole lot more.

And it was more than the Pittsburgh Pirates could overcome.

Goldschmidt hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Michael Feliz in the seventh inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pirates, 6-5 ,on Wednesday, dealing the Pirates their fifth loss in six games.

The Pirates lost two of three to the Cardinals after being swept by the Cubs in Chicago coming out of the All-Star break.

St. Louis trailed 4-3 when Tommy Edman singled off Francisco Liriano (4-2) with one out in the seventh, and Jose Martinez walked. Feliz relieved, and Goldschmidt followed with his 18th homer.

“I had two strikes there. I was just trying to put something in play,” Goldschmidt said. “I knew a single would tie the game up there so if I could just put something in play maybe find a hole and at least tie the game up and was able to get enough of it to get it out of there.”

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said Feliz’s stuff matches up better against Goldschmidt and Tyler O’Neill than anyone else out of his bullpen.

“Goldschmidt and O’Neill were 0 for 5 against him coming in,” Hurdle said. “Unfortunately, the fastball location was off on the pitch he threw Goldy today.”

John Brebbia (3-3) struck out four in two perfect innings. Carlos Martinez gave up an RBI single to Bryan Reynolds in the ninth before Starling Marte hit into a forceout, giving Martinez his sixth save in eight chances.

“The bullpen continued to be somewhat the unsung heroes,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “They’re not in our clubhouse, but sometimes they get overlooked for doing their job.”

O’Neill also homered for the Cardinals in addition to driving in a run in the fifth with a single. He is 10 for his past 20 with four home runs.

“I’m just trying to see the ball and keep things simple,” O’Neill said. “Just hit it where it’s pitched, and good things are going to happen off of that.”

Daniel Ponce de Leon made his first start since the Cardinals announced he was joining the rotation and gave up four runs, eight hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Said Pirates starter Chris Archer, who allowed three runs and five hits in six innings, “O’Neill got me. He’s hot right now. I definitely want to execute better in that situation.”

Archer had a pair of hits, including an RBI single in a three-run fourth after starting the season 1 for 25 at the plate. Reynolds chased de Leon with a two-run single.

Marte homered in the first, his fourth home run on a six-game trip.

“It’s good to win this series,” Goldschmidt said. “Yesterday we were right there, just couldn’t get the hit. Today we were able to. That’s what we’ve got to find a way to go is win those close games.”

The Pirates are off Thursday and return to PNC Park for a seven-game homestand: three with the Philadelphia Phillies and four with the Cardinals. They will turn to Jordan Lyles (5-6, 5.16 ERA), who, along with his teammates, will try to snap out of the post-All-Star funk

In his previous outing Saturday, Lyles gave seven runs in two-thirds of an inning in a loss to the Chicago Cubs.

Notes: Pirates OF Gregory Polanco stopped his rehab at Triple-A Indianapolis because of left shoulder soreness and will be evaluated in Pittsburgh. … INF Erik Gonzalez (broken left clavicle) was scheduled to resume a rehab assignment Wednesday night at Indianapolis. …. RHP Chad Kuhl and RHP Edgar Santana threw off a slope for the first time since Tommy John surgery.