Walker and Thompson help the Cardinals knock off the Pirates 6-4 to avoid sweep #Walker #Thompson #Cardinals #knock #Pirates #avoid #sweep

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Walker homered and Zack Thompson tossed seven effective innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.

Nolan Gorman added a two-run single for the Cardinals, who avoided a three-game sweep. Alec Burleson broke a 3-all tie with a two-run single in the fourth.

Miguel Andujar homered for the Pirates, who had their five-game winning streak snapped. Pittsburgh was looking for its first three-game sweep in St. Louis since May 1991.

Walker gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead with his 14th homer in the third. He also doubled and scored in the seventh.

Thompson (4-5) allowed three runs and seven hits on 92 pitches. He struck out six.

Giovanny Gallegos earned his 10th save in 16 chances.

Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo (8-14) lasted just 3 2/3 innings. He gave up five runs on four hits and walked a season-high six. Oviedo was coming off a two-hit shutout of Kansas City last Monday.

HAPPY HOLIDAY

The Cardinals are off on Monday. It will mark the first time they have not played on Labor Day in a full season since 1993.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: LHP Matthew Liberatore allowed three hits in three innings of a rehab outing with Triple-A Memphis. He is expected to rejoin the Cardinals after being placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 22 with lower back tightness.

UP NEXT

Pirates: Had not announced a starter for the opener of a three-game series at home against Milwaukee on Monday. RHP Corbin Burnes (9-7, 3.55) goes for the first-place Brewers.

Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (6-10, 4.66 ERA) pitches Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at major league-best Atlanta. Mikolas is 1-4 with a 3.86 ERA in six career appearances against the Braves.