Cardinals Rout Pirates 9-1
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) – The Pittsburgh Pirates were looking to get back in the win column Saturday night, but the St. Louis Cardinals had other ideas.
Lance Berkman and Yadier Molina homered in a five-run fifth inning that propelled the Cardinals to a 9-1 victory Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd at PNC Park.
Despite back-to-back losses to the Cardinals, the Pirates only one game behind St. Louis and Milwaukee for the NL Central Division lead.
A day after hitting three homers in a 15-hit barrage, St. Louis won its third straight by collecting 12 hits in assuring itself a win in what many in Pittsburgh were calling the biggest series in PNC Park history.
Matt Diaz and Chase d'Arnaud each had two hits for the Pirates, who have scored only nine runs in their past five games.
Jamie Garcia (10-4, 3.01 ERA) won for the fourth time in his past five outings, allowing one run on eight hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 7 1-3 innings.
Kevin Correia (11-8, 4.38 ERA) failed for the third consecutive attempt to become the first Pittsburgh starter since 2007 to earn his 12th win.
The teams will close out their three-game set Sunday afternoon at 1:35 p.m.
Charlie Morton (8-5, 3.62 ERA) is scheduled to take on Kyle Lohse (8-7, 3.45 ERA).
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