So close: Mikolas’ no-hit bid broken up with 2 outs in 9th

ST. LOUIS » Miles Mikolas fell one strike short of a no-hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals against Pittsburgh when Cal Mitchell doubled with two outs in the ninth inning Tuesday night.

Mitchell drove a 2-2 curveball just over the head of Gold Glove center fielder Harrison Bader. The ball bounced on the warning track 383 feet from home plate and over the wall in straightaway center for a ground-rule double.

The hit came on the 129th pitch from Mikolas, a career high. He was lifted right after that for Packy Naughton, who closed out a 9-1 victory over the Pirates in the second game of a doubleheader.

Mikolas struck out six and walked one. Pittsburgh got an unearned run in the fourth to make it 7-1 when Bryan Reynolds scored on Daniel Vogelbach’s groundout.

Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman made a diving stop in the fourth and an off-balance throw from the middle of the diamond in the sixth to prevent would-be hits.

St. Louis won the opener of the day-night doubleheader 3-1. Pittsburgh has lost nine straight.

YANKEES 2, RAYS 0 » Gerrit Cole put a career-worst pummeling behind him with six sharp innings, and New York capitalized on shaky defense by Tampa Bay.

ORIOLES 6, BLUE JAYS 5 » Ryan Mountcastle hit a two-run home run, Austin Hays had a solo shot and Baltimore held on to beat Toronto.

WHITE SOX 5, TIGERS 1 » Dylan Cease allowed one run in five innings to remain unbeaten in 10 decisions against Detroit, and Chicago beat the Tigers.

METS 4, BREWERS 0 » Chris Bassitt pitched eight sharp innings of three-hit ball, Pete Alonso drove in two runs and New York beat struggling Milwaukee.

BRAVES 10, NATIONALS 4 » Michael Harris II and Travis d’Arnaud each had three hits and homered for the second straight game, and Atlanta connected five times in its 13th straight win, over Washington.

Strasburg has rib injury

WASHINGTON » Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg was placed on the 15-day injured list with a stress reaction of the ribs, the team announced.

Strasburg has made one start this season, his first since he had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last summer. He felt discomfort following a bullpen session and had an MRI on Monday. The 33-year-old will see a specialist and there is no timeline for his return.