Crow-Armstrong powers the Cubs to an 11-0 rout of the Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong was 4 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs to lead the Chicago Cubs to an 11-0 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.

Shota Imanaga (7-8) held Pittsburgh to four hits in six innings, striking out four and walking one.

Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes (9-9), who had allowed five runs in 18 1/3 innings to win his previous three starts, struck out 11 in 5 1/3 innings but gave up five earned runs on six hits and two walks.

Crow-Armstong, who was a triple short of the cycle, had an extra-base hit in three straight innings, capped by a two-run homer over the wall in right off Ron Marinaccio to give Chicago a 10-run lead in the seventh inning. It was his 23rd of the season.

He also had a single in the first and an RBI double in the fifth off Skenes, and a double off Isaac Mattson in the sixth.

The Cubs struck out nine times against Skenes through the first four innings before solving him for three runs in the fifth. Crow-Armstrong sent a 2-2 changeup to the center field wall, driving in Dansby Swanson. Then, with the infield in and two runners in scoring position, Seiya Suzuki dropped a single into right field over first baseman Ryan O’Hearn.

Chicago scored five more in the sixth, chasing Skenes with one out after Nico Hoerner singled and Pedro Ramírez walked. Swanson lined an RBI double to left and Miguel Amaya drove in two more with a single. Michael Busch also hit a two-run single.

Jake Mangum was the only Pirates batter to reach second base against Imanaga, sending a sharp single past the glove of third baseman Alex Bregman for the first Pittsburgh hit with two outs in the third and taking second on a throwing error by Swanson.

Pirates RHP Braxton Ashcraft (9-4, 3.95 ERA) starts the series finale Sunday against Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (2-5, 5.38).

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Isaac Mattson walks off the mound after handing the ball to manager Don Kelly during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Saturday, July 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Saturday, July 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, left, and catcher Henry Davis, right, talk on the mound during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Saturday, July 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) and Miguel Amaya (9) celebrate after scoring on a single by Seiya Suzuki off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, July 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong hits a single off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, driving in a run, during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, July 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andre Pallante matched his season high with eight strikeouts in seven strong innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth in a 7-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night.

Pallante (11-6) allowed two hits and a walk, and Gordon Graceffo pitched two innings in relief for St. Louis, which snapped a two-game skid. The Cardinals had lost six of their previous seven games.

Six straight Cardinals reached base with one out in the sixth inning before Nathan Church laid down a safety squeeze bunt that scored Bryan Torres and gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead.

Iván Herrera hit a two-run double to left field to snap an 0-for-12 skid, Torres lined an RBI single to left field, and Blaze Jordan dribbled a two-run single to right field to end Hunter Greene’s (2-2) night.

Greene allowed seven runs, six earned, on eight hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings in his fourth start of the season since being activated from the injured list on July 4.

JJ Wetherholt reached base on Elly De La Cruz’s fielding error to lead off the bottom of the first and scored on a single by Burleson to give St. Louis a 1-0 lead.

Cincinnati had won three games in a row and five of seven since the All-Star break.

Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (5-6, 3.89 ERA) looks to earn his first win since June 20 against Cardinals RHP Kyle Leahy (7-4, 3.59) in Sunday’s series finale.

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

St. Louis Cardinals' Iván Herrera gestures from second base after hitting a two-RBI double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Saturday, July 25, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)

Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte catches a fly ball for an out against St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 25, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)

St. Louis Cardinals' Iván Herrera hits a two-RBI double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Saturday, July 25, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Saturday, July 25, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)