Running wild: Scott wielding his game-breaking speed for Cards

ST. LOUIS -- Considering the blazing speed that he possesses and the fearlessness that he so often displays on the basepaths, Victor Scott II can put himself in scoring position for the Cardinals simply by reaching first base.

Scott did that twice on Wednesday, running on Lars Nootbaar’s single to right-center field and catching the Pirates off guard when he never stopped at third and scored with a headfirst slide into home. Two innings later, Scott singled and came around to score when Masyn Winn’s double hit off the side wall down the left-field line.

Scott’s daring baserunning, combined with seven scoreless innings from staff ace Sonny Gray, helped the Cardinals beat the Pirates, 5-0, at Busch Stadium to extend their season-best winning streak to five games.

“I guess I am,” Scott said when asked about being instantly in scoring position upon reaching first base. “That was crazy. That’s the first time I’ve ever scored from first twice in the same game. That was insane.”

The Cardinals improved to 15-6 at home, tying the defending-champion Dodgers for MLB’s most home victories. The Cards also used the three-game sweep of the reeling Pirates to get to 19-19 on the season -- the first time they have been at .500 since April 16, when they were 9-9. Since ending a five-game skid in Atlanta on April 22, St. Louis has gone a National League-best 10-5.

“I think the consistency is paying off and we’ve played the same style of baseball every day,” said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol, whose team has won five of six home series and had two home sweeps. “Our rotation has done a nice job, with our bullpen some of the pieces that we’ve added have allowed for success and we’ve talked about an identity. We have to be better in May than April and better in June. We have to hold all ourselves accountable to that standard.”

Gray (4-1) matched his longest outing of the season by shutting out the Pirates over seven innings. He allowed just two hits and one walk and struck out eight batters while beating the Bucs for a second time this season.

Scott, who won the starting center-field job out of Spring Training, has proven himself to be quite the weapon for the Cardinals with his blinding speed. After Wednesday’s contest, he’s hitting .289 with 18 runs scored, 13 walks and 11 stolen bases in 12 attempts. He went from first to home on Nootbaar’s single in 9.28 seconds, good for MLB’s sixth-fastest first-to-home time in 2025, per Statcast.

“I had my back to the ball, and I was just reading [third-base coach] Pop [Warner], and as soon as I saw him waving me home, that’s when I turned it into another gear and put one on the board for us.”

Added close friend Jordan Walker, who also drove in two runs late in the day to salt the game away: “I mean, you don’t get anybody faster than [Scott]. He might be the fastest baseball player I’ve ever seen. I know a lot of people would pick [Reds star shortstop] Elly [De La Cruz], but I think Vic’s got him.”

Scott, whose parents were college track stars years ago at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, considers his speed to be his greatest weapon. From afar, he can already see ways that his speed is changing games -- with pitchers using slide-step mechanics to throw home faster and catchers calling for more pitchouts to give them a better chance to throw him out on steal attempts.

“I have a more known identity as a basestealer and a threat to run now, so my confidence is really playing into that now,” Scott said. “No doubt, my speed is a weapon. Coming into the game every day and knowing that I can impact the game is special. Not all the time the bat is going to be hot. Not all the time you’re going to be able to hit a ball over the wall. But to be able to get on base and impact the game is definitely special to me.”

Scott’s speed has also proven to be a defensive weapon in center field for the Cardinals, who are far and away MLB’s team leader in Outs Above Average with 23. (The Astros are second with 13.) Scott, who has worked diligently with coach Jon Jay to improve his first step and his route efficiency, is tied for third in MLB in individual Outs Above Average at 6.

“I’d say it’s a no-fly zone in the outfield and nothing gets through the infield,” Scott said. “It’s pretty impressive to see the ownership that guys are taking in their defense and with those metrics to become a better collective defensive team.”