Pirates 5, Cardinals 4
Russell Martin singled in the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning as host Pittsburgh beat St. Louis for the fourth time in three days and stretched the Cardinals’ season-long losing streak to seven games.
Neil Walker led off the eighth with a single against Trevor Rosenthal (1-2) and alertly tagged up and moved to second when Pedro Alvarez flied to left for the second out. Martin followed with his sharp hit to left-center and Walker easily scored as the Pirates seized a 2 1/2-game lead over St. Louis in the National League Central.
Tony Watson (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings and Mark Melancon worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save – and third straight since he began filling in as the closer for injured All-Star Jason Grilli. Pittsburgh goes for a sweep of the five-game series Thursday.
St. Louis scored two first-inning runs on singles by Matt Holliday and Daniel Descalso and had a 3-1 lead before Walker hit a solo homer in the third. Holliday had another run-scoring single in the fourth before the Pirates tallied in the bottom of the inning on Clint Barmes’ double and knotted the score in the fifth on Andrew McCutchen’s sacrifice fly.
Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings, while Pittsburgh starter Jeff Locke lasted just four innings and gave up four runs and 10 hits.
GAME NOTEBOOK: St. Louis placed All-Star C Yadier Molina (knee) on the disabled list one day after he left a game in the third inning with soreness. The Cardinals also placed OF Shane Robinson (shoulder) on the DL and recalled OF Adron Chambers and 1B/OF Brock Peterson from Triple-A Memphis. … Pirates reserve C Michael McKenry is done for the season after undergoing surgery to repair cartilage damage in his left knee. … St. Louis had 13 hits after having just nine in 20 innings while being swept in Tuesday’s doubleheader.