Church robs Gonzales of what would have been walk-off homer, preserves Cards' 5-4 win over Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie Nathan Church ended the game by robbing Nick Gonzales of what would have been a walk-off, two-run homer by making a leaping catch at the left-field wall, giving the St. Louis Cardinals a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

Ryan O’Hearn singled with one out in the ninth off Riley O’Brien and Marcell Ozuna struck out on three straight pitches. Gonzales drove a first-pitch slider to left, and Church jumped and caught the ball above the top of the 6-foot wall, 373 feet from home plate.

Gonzales' drive would have been a home run in 27 of the 30 big league ballparks, according to MLB Statcast, all but PNC Park, Camden Yards and Globe Life Field.

O'Brien escaped with his eighth save in 10 chances as the Cardinals won their third straight in a four-game series that ends Thursday.

Pittsburgh has lost a season-high four straight. The Pirates went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners.

Andre Pallante (3-2) allowed one run and five hits in a season-high six innings.

Bubba Chandler (1-3) gave up three runs, three hits and four walks in five innings.

JJ Wetherholt hit a go-ahead RBI double in the third and Alec Burleson boosted the lead to 3-0 with a two-run homer in the fifth.

Spencer Horwitz cut the deficit when he homered in the bottom half, but Iván Herrera and Jordan Walker boosted the lead to 5-1 in the seventh with RBI singles against Chris Devenski.

Devenski's contract was selected from Triple-A Indianapolis, and the 35-year-old right-hander debuted for the Pirates, his seventh major league team. He was charged with one run in two-third of an innings.

Pinch-hitter Nick Yorke had a two-run single in the bottom half against JoJo Romero, and Oneil Cruz grounded into a run-scoring forceout in the eighth off George Soriano.

RHP Hunter Dobbins, acquired from Boston in the Willson Contreras trade in December, is slated to make his Cardinals debut Thursday when Pittsburgh starts reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes (4-2, 2.48).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Chris Devenski delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Chris Devenski delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

St. Louis Cardinals' Victor Scott II (11) steals second base as the ball gets away from Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bubba Chandler during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Konnor Griffin (6) steals second base as the ball gets away from St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt with umpire Chris Segal (96) making the call during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien (61) celebrates with catcher Iván Herrera after getting the final out of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Nathan Church (27) leaps to make the catch on a fly ball by Pittsburgh Pirates' Nick Gonzales to end the baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

ATLANTA (AP) — Matt Olson hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off Kenley Jansen, ruining a dominant performance by Tarik Skubal and rallying the Atlanta Braves to a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night.

Jansen, who blew his third save in nine chances, walked Ozzie Albies to lead off the ninth. Olson followed with his ninth homer, a shot into Atlanta's bullpen to end the game.

Skubal fell behind on Ozzie Albies' two-run shot in the first but gave up only three hits the rest of his seven-inning stint, with two of those runners wiped out by double plays.

The two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner gave the Tigers a bit of a scare in the seventh, rubbing his left arm after a 2-2 pitch to Olson to draw a visit from the trainer and manager A.J. Hinch. Skubal threw one warmup pitch, decided he was OK and struck out the side to end his night. He allowed five hits, fanned seven and didn't walk anyone.

But Jansen couldn't finish it for the Tigers.

Atlanta rookie JR Ritchie turned in another solid outing. He gave up three runs (two earned) in 5 1/3 innings, with five hits, four walks and four strikeouts.

Reynaldo López (2-1), who began the season as Atlanta’s No. 2 starter before being demoted to the bullpen this week, pitched two perfect innings for the win.

Atlanta has now won nine series this season without a loss.

Detroit tied it in the second, nicking Ritchie for two runs after he retired the first two hitters. Kevin McGonigle had a run-scoring single, reaching base for the 26th consecutive game as a starter, and the Tigers added an unearned run on Ritchie's errant throw to first on a pickoff attempt.

Ritchie didn't give up a homer on his very first pitch, as he did in his big league debut at Washington last week. But Riley Greene went deep in the third, launching a 417-foot drive into the center-field seats on a changeup for his fourth homer of the year.

Atlanta sends RHP Bryce Elder (3-1, 1.95 ERA) to the mound for the finale of the interleague set. Detroit counters with LHP Framber Valdez (2-1, 3.41).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Atlanta Braves pitcher Jr. Ritchie (60) delivers during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene (31) during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) rubs his arm during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson (28) celebrates hitting a walk-off two run home run in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson (28) celebrates hitting a walk-off two run home run in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)