Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes continues to struggle against the St. Louis Cardinals, now holding a 0-4 record in five starts after a narrow 2-1 defeat. Skenes pitched well, allowing just two runs on three hits across six innings, but a critical mistake to Alec Burleson, who hit a two-run double, sealed his fate. This loss sees the Pirates extend their current losing streak to six games. Despite a solid 2.75 ERA in his matchups with St. Louis, Skenes has received minimal run support, totaling only three runs in his five outings against them.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol praised his team's approach, noting their ability to drive up Skenes' pitch count and compete through deep at-bats. Meanwhile, Pirates manager Derek Shelton expressed frustration over the offensive inconsistency, emphasizing the need for run support to ease the pressure on Skenes. Third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of timely hitting to relieve the burden on their pitchers.