Takeaways: Pirates chase perfection again ... but find only frustration in loss to Cardinals

Dennis Santana walked slowly toward home plate and gazed into the stands at PNC Park, the frustration on his face evident following a two-run double that flipped the lead.

An impressive reclamation project since the Pirates claimed Santana off waivers from the Yankees in June 2024, the 30-year-old reliever had mostly avoided moments like these.

But with the Pirates spinning a bullpen day and ultimately having their fortunes come unwound by the steadiest part of that group, it was impossible to hide the frustration.

For Santana or anyone.

The Pirates chased perfection Monday against the Cardinals but ultimately found frustration. St. Louis scored four times in the ninth to earn 4-2 victory at PNC Park, handing Pittsburgh consecutive losses for the first time in nearly a month.

Santana allowed all of those runs on two homers, a single and a double.

“One of those nights where you suck,” Santana said. “I tried to do my best. Things didn’t happen as I wanted.”

The Cardinals’ ninth-inning comeback started with Pedro Pages, the No. 9 hitter, homering off Santana on an 0-2 slider the catcher went down and hammered out to left.

It continued with a blast from Mars native and West Virginia product JJ Wetherholt, the Cardinals shortstop smashing a full-count fastball that was left over the middle the plate 408 feet to right-center for his sixth.

Santana walked designated hitter Ivan Herrera, while first baseman Alec Burleson reached on a slow roller to third that somehow did not go foul. After another walk, this time to right fielder Jordan Walker, left fielder Jose Fermin delivered the biggest hit of the night.

Fermin jumped on a first-pitch slider that caught too much plate, lining it into the left-field corner for a 4-2 Cardinals lead.

“I just have to take it,” Santana said. “They have a bat. I have a ball. They’re good, too. They won today. Tomorrow, we’ll see.”

The loss dropped the Pirates to 16-13, including 6-4 against the NL Central. They had not lost back-to-back games since March 26 and March 28 at Citi Field.

It was set up well, too. Gregory Soto worked the eighth, and the Pirates had their closer on for a save situation. But for one of the rare times in his Pirates tenure, Santana struggled and was unable to close it out.

“That’s why I feel bad,” Santana said. “It was a bullpen day. Everybody did great. Then I come in, look bad and mess it up for the team.”

Dotel shines

It’s of little consequence now, but the first part of the Pirates’ bullpen strategy worked like a charm.

Mason Montgomery, Justin Lawrence, Wilber Dotel and Evan Sisk carried a perfect game into the seventh inning, reminiscent of what Paul Skenes did this past Friday in Milwaukee.

And just like Skenes, the 21st opposing hitter proved problematic. In this case, first baseman Alec Burleson's slow roller to third resulted in an infield single. Isaac Mattson entered the game and escaped further trouble with a strikeout.

But the big story was Dotel, who’s 6-foot-3, 240 pounds and pitches with physicality. The 23-year-old averaged 99.0 mph with his four-seamer, up 1.9 mph from prior outings. He threw 44 pitches and generated seven whiffs on 23 swings, topping out at 100.8.

As the Pirates search for middle-relief help, Dotel more than passed the test.

“It felt good. My goal was to go hitter-by-hitter, and that’s what I did,” Dotel said, with major league coach Stephen Morales translating. “I just try to control what I can and stay in the moment.”

What impressed me the most about Dotel was his ability to pound the zone. Of his 44 pitches, 32 were strikes. Dotel didn’t throw them much, but his changeup, slider and cutter will also play at this level.

The offense

A day after the Pirates amassed just two hits and struck out 18 times, they wasted little time getting to work on Cardinals starter Dustin May, who was tied for the MLB lead in hits allowed (33) prior to this one.

In the first, Brandon Lowe drew a one-out walk and moved to second on Bryan Reynolds’ bouncer to the pitcher. Ryan O’Hearn put the Pirates in front, 1-0, with solid contact on an inside fastball, lining it into right.

Nick Gonzales got things started in the second, cranking a double to lead off the frame and extending his hitting streak to eight games. Konnor Griffin’s ground ball to shortstop moved Gonzales to third, and he scored when Jake Mangum singled through a drawn-in infield.

By collecting two more hits, Gonzales is now batting .467 (14 for 30) with three RBIs and five runs scored during his hitting streak.

With Jared Triolo transferring his rehab assignment to Double-A Altoona, Gonzales' hot streak has come at a good time. The Pirates could be forced into a decision between keeping Gonzales' hot bat into the lineup or relying on what Triolo brings defensively.

Lowe's play

The Cardinals rallied for their second hit of the game in the eighth inning, but a terrific double-play turn started by Lowe rendered it moot.

Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn hit a bouncer up the middle. Lowe fielded it while ranging to his right and flipped with his glove to Konnor Griffin, starting the 4-6-3 turn.

Gregory Soto got the third out of the inning on a fly ball to center.

“Heck of a double play,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “The thing with Brandon, he practices those things a lot, every single day, trying to make sure he’s ready for it.”

Cruz scratched

The Pirates announced about 10 minutes before first pitch that Oneil Cruz was scratched from the lineup due to illness. Spencer Horwitz bumped up to the leadoff spot, while Mangum took Cruz’s spot in center.

Per Pirates PR, Cruz was being treated by the team’s medical staff.

Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH.