MLB ROUNDUP: Cardinals’ Jordan Walker’s record-tying hitting streak is snapped in loss to Pirates

St. Louis rookie Jordan Walker’s hitting streak ended at 12 games as he went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in the Cardinals’ 5-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night.

The 20-year-old tied the record for longest career-starting hitting streak by a player 21 or younger, set by Eddie Murphy, who hit in 12 consecutive games with the Philadelphia Athletics from August 26, 1912, to September. 5, 1912.

The longest career start streak regardless of age is 17 by Chuck Aleno of the 1941 Cincinnati Reds and David Dahl of the 2016 Colorado Rockies.

“He did a good job and played in every game,” said St. Louis manger Oliver Marmol. “When you’re on a streak like that, the last thing you want to do is give that guy a day off. He did a good job handling everything that came with this debut and continuing it to this day. He can be proud of what he has achieved.’

Carlos Santana doubled twice and Connor Joe and Rodolfo Castro hit consecutive homers in the eighth against Génesis Cabrera. The Pirates have several homers in five games this season, going 5-0.

“Our offense had a nice solid approach all night,” said Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton.

Vince Velasquez (1-2) gave up three hits in six innings, struckout three and walked two. He was coming off an 11-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox in which he gave up five runs in 2 2/3 innings.

“It was more about sticking to the plan of attack,” Velasquez said. “Sometimes we have a tendency to deviate from the plan and change things. I don’t look excited, but I’m pretty excited. You have to build on this against a team like that. Making a statement like that is phenomenal for us. Throwing a shutout against these guys is something.”

Shelton was impressed.

‘He was sharp. He went straight on a really good lineup,” Shelton said. “He performed throws. Very solid.’

Jordan Montgomery (2-1) gave up two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

“I missed some spots,” Montgomery said. ‘I fought. I held us in. I want to be a horse out there.”

Andrew McCutchen and Santana in consecutive doubles in the sixth, when Gold Glove first baseman Paul Goldschmidt threw out Santana trying to score from third on Joe’s grounder. Santana is 4 for 7 with three doubles and one homer off Montgomery. It was McCutchen’s 295th career double, passing Bill Mazeroski for eight all-time pals in Pirates history.

McCutchen made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning off Jordan Hicks, who inherited a pair of runners.

Ke’Bryan Hayes doubled in the ninth and scored on Chris Stratton’s wild pitch.

The Tampa Bay Rays tied Major League Baseball’s post-1900 record for 13 straight wins at the start of a season, as they rallied to beat the Boston Red Sox 9–3 on Thursday after a seven-run fifth inning that saw Harold Ramirez started and ended with doubles.

RED 6, PHILLIES 2

The number two of the World Series dropped to 4-9 on Thursday-evening due to a loss against the Cincinnati Reds.

Wil Myers hit a pair of runscoring singles. Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson and Jose Barrero drove in points for the Reds, who had lost six of seven.

Kyle Schwarber became the first left-handed batter to homer off Nick Lodolo (2-0), who gave up two runs and eight hits in five innings.

Bailey Falter (0-2) gave up five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

RAYS 9, RED SOX 3

Tampa Bay matched the 13-0 start of the Atlanta Braves in 1982 and the Milwaukee Brewers in 1987. The only longer opening streak was a 20-0 start by the St. Louis Maroons of the 1884 Union Association.

Rays starter Jeffrey Springs left two pitches in the fourth inning with what the team thought was ulnar neuritis,

Tampa Bay trailed 3-1. Ramirez started the big rally with a double off Corey Kluber (0-3) and broke open the game with a three-run double against Richard Bleier. Kevin Kelly (1-0) threw 2 2/3 innings for the win.

GEMINI 11, YANKEES 2

Michael A. Taylor, rookie Edouard Julien and Carlos Correa hit consecutive homers in a nine-run first inning. Taylor homered twice and drove in four runs.

According to STAS, Julien became the eighth player since 1974 to score his first two major league-hits in the same inning.

Joe Ryan (3-0) struckout 10 batters and walked none, while allowing one run and three hits in seven innings. Jhonny Brito (2-1) gave up seven runs and six hits in two-thirds of an inning. Anthony Rizzo hit a pair of solo home runs for the Yankees.

TIGERS 3, BLUE JAYS 1

Javier Baez was benched after a baserunning blunder as Detroit avoided a three-game sweep.

Tigers manager AJ Hinch retired Baez in the third, one inning after Baez appeared to lose sight of the outs and got into a double play. Baez doubled to the left field wall with one out in the second inning, but didn’t run out of the box hard, apparently thinking he homered. He then broke for third and rounded on Akil Baddo’s liner to center and was easily doubled to end the inning.

Zach McKinstry hit a tiebreaking double in the fifth off Chris Bassitt (1-2) and Jake Rogers had two hits and an RBI as Detroit stopped a six-game skid. Spencer Turnbull (1-2) gave up one run and six hits in five innings and Alex Lange retired the side for his second big league save and first since 2021.

ORIOLES 8, ATHLETICS 7

For the first time in his major league career, Adley Rutschman was the center of a home plate celebration that included laughter, high-fives, and the mandatory emptying of the dugout cooler on the head of the man who won the game.

“It felt great,” said Rutschman. “You have so much adrenaline at that moment that you don’t really know what’s going on. It’s just cool to celebrate as a team.’

Rutschman led off the ninth inning with a tiebreaking homer off Trevor May, and the Baltimore Orioles also got a long ball from hot-hitting Ryan Mountcastle in an 8-7 victory over the struggling Oakland Athletics on Thursday.

BREWERS 4, PADRES 3 – 10 INNINGS

Rowdy Tellez hit a two-run homer in the first inning and a lead sacrifice fly in the 10th for the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, who defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Thursday night.

Tellez’s sacrifice fly brought in Christian Yelich, who began the inning as the automatic runner on second base and advanced when he and Willy Adames executed a double steal. Adames got a first walk off Luis Garcia (0-2).

San Diego’s Trent Grisham hit an tying, two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning off Matt Bush, who played at Mission Bay High before his hometown Padres made him the No. 1 overall in the 2004 draft. Bush attempted a 3 -1 lead and got two quick outs before walking pinch-hitter Matt Carpenter and serving Grisham’s shot to center right, his fourth.