Pirates 6, Cardinals 5
A two-run double by Pedro Ciriaco capped a three-run eighth inning and lifted Pittsburgh to a 6-5 victory over visiting St. Louis on Monday, snapping the Cardinals' five-game winning streak.
St. Louis fell 6 1/2 games behind idle Milwaukee in the National League Central.
After Albert Pujols put the Cardinals in front with a two-run homer in the sixth, the Pirates rallied in the eighth. Derrek Lee led off with a walk against Octavio Dotel before Ryan Doumit doubled off Mark Rzepczynski (2-5) to score pinch runner Chase D'Arnaud with the tying run. After a pair of walks loaded the bases with two out, Ciriaco knocked a 1-2 pitch from Fernando Salas into right field.
Jason Grilli (2-1) had retired the Cardinals in order in the top of the frame and earned the win. The Cardinals got within one in the ninth when Daniel Descalso scored on a wild pitch by Pittsburgh closer Joel Hanrahan, but they could not push the tying run across.
St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse scattered eight hits over six innings, striking out three and walking one. Brad Lincoln allowed four runs, three of them earned, in 5 1/3 innings for the Pirates. He yielded eight hits and walked two while striking out one.