Wainwright drives in 3 runs as Cards rip Pirates

[September 06, 2016]  PITTSBURGH -- The St. Louis Cardinals solidified their National League wild-card standing Monday by blistering the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-6 at PNC Park.

St. Louis pounded out 14 hits against five Pirates pitchers to win its second consecutive game and hand Pittsburgh its season-worst seventh loss in a row.

The Cardinals (72-64) hold the second NL wild-card spot but climbed within a half-game of the San Francisco Giants, who are in the first wild-card position. St. Louis opened a 4 1/2-game lead on Pittsburgh, with the New York Mets sitting a game behind the Cardinals and 3 1/2 games ahead of the Pirates (67-68).

St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright (10-8) won for the first time in nine starts, dating to July 16, although the Cardinals were 4-4 in his interim eight outings. He gave up four runs on seven hits over five innings, with five strikeouts and one walk.

Wainwright also had a game-best three RBIs.

Pirates rookie Chad Kuhl (3-3) had a rough start, lasting just two innings. However, Jeff Locke, who relieved Kuhl, was even worse, yielding seven runs (four earned) on seven hits in three innings.

Pittsburgh has been outscored 47-23 during its losing streak, and the Pirates lost Sunday despite racking up 12 hits.

Kuhl's summary from his two-inning appearance rambled on: three runs on four hits, two RBI doubles that were nearly homers, three walks, two strikeouts, a hit batter, 58 pitches, two visits to the mound by pitching coach Ray Searage and a visit from manager Clint Hurdle and team trainer Todd Tomczyk.

Still, the damage might have been worse if second baseman Josh Harrison and first baseman John Jaso had not each made a stellar play to take away a Cardinals base hit.

One of the doubles, off the center field wall, was hit by Wainwright and produced a run. Three batters later in the second, Stephen Piscotty drove one to the same place for two RBIs and a 3-0 St. Louis lead.

Pittsburgh got one of those runs back in the third on successive singles by Starling Marte, David Freese and Francisco Cervelli to make it 3-1. Kuhl's spot came up later in the third, but the Pirates instead used pinch hitter Josh Bell, who smacked an RBI double to the left field corner to make it 3-2.

St. Louis took a 4-2 lead in the third on Kolten Wong's RBI single, and a 5-2 edge when Jedd Gyorko led off the fourth with his sixth home run -- extending St. Louis' franchise-record streak of consecutive games with at least one homer to 24.

The Cardinals added a few more in the fourth on pinch hitter Tommy Pham's RBI fielder's choice and Wainwright's two-RBI single -- which not only made it 8-2 but also induced a chorus of boos from the Pirates fans.

Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The boos continued in the fifth when Matt Adams' two-run homer to center made it 10-2.

Andrew McCutchen hit his 20th homer, a two-run shot to center, in the fifth to bring Pittsburgh to within 10-4.

The Cardinals tacked on two more in the eighth. Carson Kelly got his first major league hit, a double, and scored on Randal Grichuk's double. Grichuk later scored on Jhonny Peralta's sacrifice fly for a 12-4 lead.

Pittsburgh snuck in two more in the ninth on Bell's sacrifice fly and Adam Frazier's home run.

Two players left the game. Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli exited after the fourth inning because of left thumb discomfort. Piscotty came out for precautionary reasons after being hit by a pitch on the left wrist in the fifth.

NOTES: Pittsburgh reinstated 3B Jung Ho Kang (left shoulder injury) from the disabled list and recalled him from a rehab assignment at Triple-A Indianapolis. He struck out as pinch hitter. ... Pirates minor league C Elias Diaz was in Pittsburgh being evaluated and treated by team medical staff for cellulitis in his left leg. He will be re-evaluated later in the week. ... RHP Alex Reyes is listed as the Cardinals' scheduled starter Wednesday, but that could change to RHP Mike Leake, who is on the DL because of shingles. ... St. Louis RHP Trevor Rosenthal, on the DL because of right shoulder inflammation, was in Pittsburgh to throw off the mound for the first time since his injury. His status for the rest of the season could be decided by the middle of the month.

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