Church walks Pirates, saves Cardinals win

Pittsburgh — Nathan Church Making a habit of stealing home runs.

The rookie saved the left fielder’s last game St. Louis Cardinals.

Church eventually won 5-4 Pittsburgh Pirates by robbery Nick Gonzales A two-run homer caught by a leaping catch near the left-field wall Wednesday night could have been a walk-off.

Just four days earlier, Church had a potential tie-breaking homer away from Seattle Mitch Garver In the sixth inning. The 25-year-old also had his first career two-homer game in an 11-9 loss to the Mariners.

On opening day, Church made a spectacular catch over the wall against the Tampa Bay’s Ryan rested. A homer would have tied the game then.

Gonzalez’s drive over the 6-foot wall — 373 feet from home plate — would have been a home run in 27 of the 30 major league ballparks, according to MLB Statcast, all but PNC Park, Camden Yards in Baltimore and Globe Life Field in Texas.

reliever Riley O’Brienwho got his eighth save thanks to the grab, left with his hands over his head in a dazed look as Church walked away from the wall with the ball in his glove.

Church earned a reputation as an elite defender in the minor leagues as an 11th-round draft pick by the Cardinals in 2022. He is in his best stretch at the plate, hitting .281 with four homers over the past eight games.