Cardinals 9, Pirates 1
Carlos Beltran belted a three-run homer to ignite a seven-run third inning as host St. Louis romped in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
Adam Wainwright (1-0), who tied for the NL lead with 19 wins, set down the first 11 batters he faced and allowed one run on three hits over seven innings. He struck out nine and did not walk a batter to give the Cardinals the early edge entering Friday afternoon's Game 2 of the best-of-five series.
David Freese had two hits and contributed a two-run double during the decisive third inning while Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday each had two hits and scored a run as St. Louis beat Pittsburgh for the fifth consecutive time. Pedro Alvarez clubbed a solo homer in the fifth inning for the Pirates.
A.J. Burnett (0-1) was battered for seven runs on six hits while walking four in two-plus innings. He faced eight batters - including a leadoff walk to Wainwright - in the third and failed to retire one before he was mercifully lifted in favor of Jeanmar Gomez.
Burnett quickly unraveled after escaping a second-inning jam, walking Wainwright and giving up a single to Matt Carpenter before Beltran broke the scoreless deadlock with a towering 443-foot blast for his 15th postseason homer, tying Babe Ruth for eighth on the all-time list. Matt Holliday's double, two walks and a hit batsman forced in a run before Freese rifled a double down the right-field line, with a third run scoring when the thrown hit him.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Beltran trails only Derek Jeter (20) and Albert Pujols (18) among active players on the career postseason home run list. ... Burnett, who failed to register a strikeout for the first time since June 30, 2004, has made five starts in St. Louis since joining Pittsburgh and surrendered 31 runs in 18 innings. ... St. Louis will send RHP Lance Lynn to the mound against Pirates rookie RHP Gerrit Cole in Game 2.