ST. LOUIS _ Jack Flaherty's first opening-game start for the Cardinals was something to see Friday night except, of course, that there were no paying customers in Busch Stadium.
The 24-year-old ace extended his career-high streak of scoreless innings to 25, dating to last season, when he shackled the Pittsburgh Pirates for the first six innings, allowing just two singles and walking no one.
But the Pirates strung together four singles in the seventh, two of them on the infield. The final one was a two-out, two-run single to right by Jacob Stallings to bring the Pirates to within 3-2.