Duke beats Cardinals 7-1; Pirates end 8-game slide

[May 13, 2009]  PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Zach Duke limited St. Louis to three singles over eight innings after giving up a homer to Albert Pujols in the first and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended an eight-game losing streak by beating the Cardinals 7-1 on Tuesday night.

Adam LaRoche and Brandon Moss both broke out of slumps with homers for the Pirates.

Njyer Morgan's two-run triple finished off a four-run second inning that included Duke's run-scoring single and the Pirates -- back in last place in the NL Central -- won for the only second time in 14 games since April 26. They were 11-7 when the slide began but are now 13-19.

The Cardinals did almost nothing against Duke (4-3) following Pujols' 21st home run in 63 games at PNC Park, the most by any opposing player. Pujols' drive to straightaway center with two outs in the first struck high on the batter's backdrop and was his second off Duke in two games since Wednesday and his 13th this season.

Duke usually has problems with Pujols, who also hit a long drive to the base of the center field wall in the eighth inning that Nate McLouth ran down. Pujols is 15 for 33 against Duke, and the homer was his fourth consecutive hit off the left-hander in two games.

Rather than struggling after yielding Pujols' homer, Duke settled down to pitch seven shutout innings, striking out five and walking one. Duke has only one fewer victory in seven starts than he had while going 5-14 in 31 starts last season.

Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer (3-3) was roughed up by the Pirates for the second time in three starts, giving up seven runs and nine hits in 4 1-3 innings. He lost to them 7-4 on April 8, surrendering five runs and 12 hits in five innings.

Wellemeyer fell behind 4-1 while allowing five hits in the second, all singles except for Morgan's drive into the right-center gap. Cardinals right fielder Ryan Ludwick strained his right hamstring trying to make the catch on Morgan's triple and left the game.

The Pirates made it 7-1 in the sixth on LaRoche's sixth homer, a drive to center that followed a 1-for-30 slide. Two batters later, Moss hit his first of the season, a two-run shot that was his third consecutive hit off Wellemeyer. Moss began the game hitless in 15 at-bats.

Home plate umpire Randy Marsh warned both dugouts after Duke hit Yadier Molina with a pitch in the fourth and Wellemeyer threw behind Freddy Sanchez in the bottom of the inning. In their two previous series this season, Pirates pitchers hit Cardinals batters four times.

A player from each side was hit by a pitch after that, Colby Rasmus by Duke in the sixth and the Pirates' Andy LaRoche by Brad Thompson in the seventh, but both pitchers appeared to be attempting to throw inside and neither was ejected.

Pirates closer Matt Capps pitched the ninth in a non-save situation, his first appearance since developing pain in his right elbow May 4. He loaded the bases by giving up a single and walking two, but had two strikeouts while retiring the next three batters.

Notes: Cardinals RHP Chris Carpenter (strained rib cage muscle) threw off a mound for the first time since getting hurt April 14. He is expected to throw again Friday in St. Louis. ... St. Louis starting pitchers have allowed 12 homers in 57 innings this month. ... The Pirates had 11 hits after batting .212 during their losing streak.

[Associated Press; By ALAN ROBINSON]

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