Cardinals 10, Pirates 6
Allen Craig had three RBIs and St. Louis scored seven runs in the second inning with two outs to crush nemesis James McDonald and host Pittsburgh.
Matt Holliday and Jon Jay (three runs scored) added two hits and two RBIs apiece as St. Louis, which has won seven of its last nine games, scored 10 or more runs for the third time this season. Lance Lynn (2-0) struggled through five innings, allowing four runs and seven hits while throwing 99 pitches.
McDonald (1-2), who allowed four hits with 13 strikeouts in 13 shutout innings against the Cardinals last season, allowed eight runs (three earned) and eight hits in 1 2/3 innings. Neil Walker hit a two-run homer and Starling Marte had three hits for the Pirates, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.
St. Louis sent 11 men to the plate in the second inning, with Jay's two-run double breaking a 1-1 tie. Clint Barmes' throwing error allowed Jay to score and prolonged the inning as Craig followed with a two-run double before Carlos Beltran and Yadier Molina added run-scoring hits to complete the uprising.
Holliday's two-out, two-run double to the right-center gap off reliever Justin Wilson made it 10-1 in the third. Pittsburgh scored three in the bottom of the inning when Andrew McCutchen doubled and two batters later, Walker took Lynn deep to right.
GAME NOTEBOOK: McDonald was 4-1 with a 2.27 ERA in 10 appearances (six starts) against St. Louis entering the game. ... Pittsburgh's Russell Martin started at catcher but moved to third base in the sixth inning, making his first appearance there since July 30, 2011. ... Pittsburgh hasn't swept St. Louis since 2008.