Josh Harrison provided the pop. Pedro Alvarez provided the power. The reeling Pittsburgh Pirates eagerly accepted both.

Alvarez homered twice and drove in four runs after Harrison barreled into St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina and the Pirates rolled to a 9-0 victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday night.

While Alvarez crushed his 24th and 25th home runs of the season, it was Harrison’s violent collision at home plate with Molina in the second inning that sent the message the struggling Pirates aren’t quite finished just yet.

Harrison broke from second on Jose Tabata’s single to right with two outs and dashed for the plate. By the time he got there, Molina had the ball in his hands. The second baseman lowered his left shoulder and plowed into the catcher’s head. Molina somehow held onto the ball to end the inning

It also ended his night.

Molina got up slowly and went to the clubhouse with neck, back and shoulder injuries and was replaced by Tony Cruz. Watching Molina walk off the field was difficult, but Harrison insisted he had no choice.

“There was no way to slide around him,” Harrison said. “I felt my only way was to go through him.”

Molina, who complained of a headache afterward, doesn’t believe the hit was malicious.

“I never saw the guy coming,” Molina said. “I was concentrating on catching the ball. I never saw him coming, but the real pain was in my head. I don’t know if he was (targeting) my head or not.”

The play seemed to energize the Pirates, who snapped out of a weeklong funk and drew within two games of St. Louis for the NL’s second wild-card spot.

“It can spark a team,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “But it will be up to us to play better baseball than we’ve played lately and play along the lines that we did tonight.”

Having the streaky Alvarez heating up once again certainly helped. The third baseman hit a two-run homer in the third to give the Pirates a comfortable lead, added an RBI double in the fourth then hit a 469-foot blast to center in the sixth.

“The second one, the ball looked like it was going to hit the (Clemente) Bridge,” Hurdle said. “That’s 400 and I don’t know how many. That’s a whole bunch of feet. It goes to show you he can shrink a ballpark.”

It was more than enough offense for James McDonald (12-6), who gave up two hits in seven efficient innings, walking one and striking out six to beat the Cardinals and Jake Westbrook (13-10) for the second time in the last two weeks.

Using his curveball to keep the surging Cardinals off balance, McDonald looked like the pitcher that was one of baseball’s biggest surprises during the first half of the year, not the one that has stumbled at times over the last six weeks.

“I think it’s just part of the growing process,” catcher Mike McKenry said. “He’s just starting to come into his own. He had a tremendous first half and every pitcher struggles at some point and he just happened to struggle at the wrong time. He just enhanced it and we just had to take the world off his shoulders.”

McDonald had little trouble against the Cardinals’ surging lineup, surrendering only a two-out single to Molina in the second and a two-out double to Jon Jay in the sixth. Other than that he was flawless, allowing Pittsburgh’s weary bullpen to get a needed break.

Playing with a cushion for once didn’t hurt. The Pirates came in losers in six of their last seven since a dramatic 19-inning victory in St. Louis on Aug. 19, forced to play catch-up most nights while the starting pitching faltered.

This time, the Pirates jumped out early.

Garrett Jones hit a sacrifice fly to give Pittsburgh the lead and the Pirates continued to build. Alvarez hit a two-run shot to the notch in left-center to make it 3-0 in the third and got things started in the fifth with an RBI double to score Andrew McCutchen.

McKenry added a run-scoring single to make it 5-0. Westbrook exacted a little payback by drilling Harrison in the leg with a fastball, drawing a warning to both dugouts from home plate umpire Adrian Johnson.

Harrison took no offense at pitch, calling it “a part of the game.” He didn’t stay at first for long anyway. Clint Barmes followed the plunking with a two-run single the Pirates were up 7-0.

That was more than enough for McDonald. The Cardinals failed to get a runner to third while McDonald was in the game while getting shut out for the second time this month and the seventh time this season.

Westbrook has been a key part of the Cardinals’ rise during the second half, winning six of his previous seven decisions. He could do little right on a night the Pirates snapped out of their swoon in a big way.

The veteran right-hander gave up seven runs and 11 hits in five innings, tying a season high with four walks while striking out two. He threw just 61 of his 103 pitches for strikes.

“I haven’t been very good the last couple outings and I can’t ask the offense to pick me up that big like they did last start,” Westbrook said. “It’s just a matter of figuring it out.”

— Associated Press —

Mike Matheny was almost in awe when he talked about Matt Holliday’s home run.

“He killed it,” the St. Louis Cardinals manager said. “It’s hard to hit a ball that hard the opposite way but it was still going up when it hit the seats. He really hit it.”

Holliday’s homer was not only impressive but important as it broke a sixth-inning tie Monday night, and along with Kyle Lohse pitching five scoreless innings for his eight straight win, it helped lead the Cardinals to a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Holliday led off the sixth inning with his 24th homer, a drive to right field off A.J. Burnett that put St. Louis ahead for good at 3-2.

“It always feels good to hit the ball on the barrel, especially on a pitch up in the strike zone,” Holliday said. “It was an important game for us. It’s not to the point of the season where it was a must-win game but it was a good game to win.”

St. Louis, which has won six of seven, moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who lost 10-0 at Colorado, for the second NL wild-card berth. Pittsburgh fell three games behind the Cardinals with its sixth loss in seven games.

Lohse (14-2) pitched five innings before being lifted following a 34-minute rain delay in the top of the sixth. He allowed two runs and five hits while striking out three and walking none.

“It was a really tricky to decide whether to leave Kyle in the game,” Matheny said. “The rain delay wasn’t all that long but he was at 83 pitches and he had run the bases. I just thought it was the right call to take him out.”

Lohse has not lost in 13 starts dating to June 15 and raised his career record against Pittsburgh to 9-2. He had an RBI single in the fifth inning.

Lohse did not fight Matheny’s decision to lift him, especially after being thrown out at home plate while trying to score from first base on Matt Carpenter’s double to end the top of the fifth inning.

“I don’t want to ever come out of a game but it was the best thing to come out,” Lohse said. “I didn’t feel as strong as I normally would.”

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen thought the rain delay worked to St. Louis’ advantage because he felt Lohse was ripe to have his winning streak snapped.

“He wasn’t locating as well with his pitches as he normally does,” McCutchen said. “We were able to jump on him and get a couple runs off him in that one inning. We probably would have had another chance at him but that changed with the rain.”

Burnett (15-5) gave up four runs, three earned, and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and one walk. He lost at home for just second time this season in 10 decisions and 13 starts.

“I felt good but I made two bad pitches at the wrong time,” Burnett said. “Had I maybe thrown a hook to (Lohse) or kept the ball lower against Holliday then maybe things turn out different.”

Holliday, Allen Craig and Skip Schumaker all had two hits for the Cardinals as did McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez and Clint Barmes for Pittsburgh.

The Cardinals added a run in the sixth after Holliday’s home run as Yadier Molina hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2.

The Pirates drew within a run in the seventh inning on Barmes’ RBI double. They put runners on first and second in the eighth but closer Jason Motte came in and escaped the jam by getting Josh Harrison to hit into an inning-ending force play.

Motte retired the side in the ninth for his 31st save in 36 opportunities.

St. Louis had tied the score 2-2 in the fifth inning as Shumaker hit a run-scoring double and scored on the single by Lohse.

The Pirates scored the game’s first two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by McCutchen and Alvarez after neither team produced a hit in the first 3 1/2 innings. Alvarez has 17 RBIs against the Cardinals this season.

“It hurt when they scored right after we did,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “One of (Burnett’s) strengths all year has been the shutdown inning.”

Instead, the momentum shifted to the Cardinals and Lohse can’t help but think their current hot streak is coming at the right time for the defending World Series champions.

“We’ve felt for a long time that we’ve been due to play like we’ve been playing the last week or so,” Lohse said. “We’re playing really well now and it’s the perfect time because we’re coming down the homestretch. It’s the right time of the year to win games like this.”

— Associated Press —

Matt Holliday is hoping to play a key role in another playoff run for the St. Louis Cardinals. He sure got plenty of help on Sunday.

Holliday had four hits and four RBIs, Adam Wainwright won his fifth consecutive start and the Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2 on Sunday.

Allen Craig homered and drove in three runs as St. Louis handed the Reds their second series loss in 13 sets since the All-Star break. The Cardinals have won five of six to move within six games of the NL Central-leading Reds.

“Holliday had a huge day,” manager Mike Matheny said. “It’s amazing how the conversations outside of this clubhouse start questioning him. It’s not long before he shows everybody how much he means to us.”

Holliday is batting .444 (12 for 27) with eight RBIs in his last six games. St. Louis stormed to the World Series title last year and is leading the race for the final NL wild card this season, but is still holding out hope for catching Cincinnati in the division.

“I’m just trying to do my part,” Holliday said. “This is a team game. We only play the Reds three more times. We are going to need some help.”

St. Louis’ 17 hits are the most allowed by Cincinnati in one game this season. The Cardinals collected 42 hits while taking two of three in the weekend series.

“Those guys are all hitting .300,” Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips said. “I don’t know who is making outs for that team.”

Wainwright (13-10) allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings while improving to 6-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last seven starts overall. The 6-foot-7 right-hander, who missed all of last season because of elbow surgery, hasn’t lost since July 18 at Milwaukee.

“I wanted to take my team further in the game than that, but I get it,” Wainwright said. “I had a couple of games in a row that I threw a lot of pitches.”

Reds manager Dusty Baker said Wainwright was on his game.

“Wainwright threw the ball well,” Baker said. “There’s not much else to say, except they beat us.”

Reds right-hander Homer Bailey (10-9) gave up five runs in six innings while falling to 1/3 with a 6.04 ERA in five August starts. He also allowed a season-high nine hits for the sixth time.

The Cardinals strung together four consecutive ground-ball singles during a five-hit third inning that plated three runs. Skip Schumaker led off with a double to right-center, and Wainwright chipped in with a one-out single into left field. Schumaker scored on Jon Jay’s base hit up the middle and Matt Carpenter singled to load the bases before Holliday’s two-run single to left.

“With Wainwright on the mound, we felt pretty good with those first three runs,” Holliday said.

St. Louis added two more in the sixth to make it 5-0. Holliday hit a leadoff triple before Craig drove a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left for his 20th homer.

“The two Matts got on base. That got us started. I take pride in driving in runs,” Craig said.

Chris Heisey and Ryan Ludwick had RBI singles in the sixth for Cincinnati, which beat the Cardinals 8-2 on Saturday.

Holliday also doubled in a run in the seventh and singled in Carpenter in the ninth.

— Associated Press —

Nothing was working for Jake Westbrook, a groundball pitcher who gave up three sacrifice flies.

No worries with the St. Louis Cardinals offense ringing up 17 hits against a team that’s still waiting for the adrenaline charge that usually comes with changing managers.

David Freese’s three-run homer snapped the team’s seven-game long-ball drought and Matt Holliday’s three-run double was the go-ahead blow as St. Louis beat the Houston Astros 13-5 Thursday to complete a three-game sweep.

“I was in trouble the whole day, really,” Westbrook said. “Our offense came through and really picked me up. Picked this team up.”

Freese and Holliday each had four RBIs and Allen Craig had three hits and three RBIs. The Cardinals shrugged aside a 4-0, fourth-inning deficit and sent Houston to its seventh straight loss.

“This team, they get the blood in the water and they can pile them on,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.

The Astros are 0-4 while getting outscored 32-8 since interim manager Tony DeFrancesco replaced Brad Mills as leader of the stripped-down roster. Houston has won just seven of its last 50 overall.

“We got 11 hits and some of the guys got some big days, so there is some life,” DeFrancesco said. “Unfortunately, once the game gets out of hand it’s tough for our guys to continue to bounce back after they’ve been getting beat on for a while.”

Ben Francisco had three hits for the Astros, who were swept for the third time this month and 12th overall.

Westbrook (13-9) won for the fourth time in five starts despite struggles with control two days after getting a new contract for next season with a mutual option for 2014.

Westbrook surrendered five runs on seven hits, two walks and two hit batters in five innings, ending a string of 13 consecutive starts of at least six innings.

Astros rookie lefty Dallas Keuchel (1-6) retired 11 of the first 12 batters, but six of his last seven reached base, one on an error. He earned his first career RBI on a sacrifice fly in the second, but was charged with five earned runs in four-plus innings.

“I felt good today, thought it was going to be another quality start,” Keuchel said. “That fifth inning kind of unraveled things.”

The Cardinals were 10 for 14 with runners in scoring position against five pitchers to sweep the Astros for the first time since April 2009 and wrap up a 6-3 homestand with a string of contenders awaiting.

St. Louis starts a 10-game trip Friday night with three games at NL Central-leading Cincinnati, followed by three at wild card-contending Pittsburgh and four at NL East-leading Washington.

“A very big road trip, there’s no doubt about that,” Matheny said. “We need to string them together, that’s all there is to it.”

Like Westbrook, the 24-year-old Keuchel entered with decent recent numbers with three consecutive quality starts. He’s 0-6 in nine starts since beating the Indians with a six-hitter on June 23.

Freese’s 16th homer capped a two-out rally in the fourth. The Astros elected to pitch to Freese instead of Daniel Descalso, just 3 for 21 during the homestand to that point and batting .226.

The first five Cardinals reached safely to start the fifth, including an error. Holliday had been just 5 for 36 with two RBIs on the homestand, put St. Louis ahead 7-5 with his double.

“I know I’ve been struggling but I don’t really feel that far off,” Holliday said. “I try to make it day by day and just try to have good at-bats.”

— Associated Press —

Kyle Lohse pitched seven innings of three-hit ball to earn his seventh consecutive win, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Lohse (13-2) gave up two runs and retired his last 14 batters while improving to 7-0 with a 2.21 ERA in 12 starts since he dropped a 3-2 decision against Kansas City on June 15.

The Cardinals have won consecutive games to grab a half-game lead on Pittsburgh for the second wild-card spot in the National League.

Mitchell Boggs worked a scoreless eighth and Jason Motte finished for his 29th save in 34 chances, completing a three-hitter.

Allen Craig extended his hitting streak to a career-best 11 games with a first-inning single and scored a run for St. Louis. Jon Jay, Daniel Descalso and Yadier Molina each drove in a run.

Brett Wallace and Chris Snyder homered for the Astros, who are winless in three games under interim manager Tony DeFrancesco. Houston, which dropped to 12-50 on the road, has lost six straight and is just 7-42 since June 28.

Bud Norris (5-11) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings to fall to 0-10 with a 6.78 ERA in his last 14 starts.

— Associated Press —

Adam Wainwright matched his career high with 12 strikeouts in a five-hitter and the St. Louis Cardinals punished rookie Lucas Harrell with six runs in the first three innings, getting over an excruciating 19-inning loss two days earlier with a 7-0 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

Skip Schumaker and Yadier Molina had two RBIs apiece for the Cardinals, who got six hits the first seven at-bats in a four-run first and then capitalized on a pair of walks to open a two-run third. Jon Jay had three hits and an RBI.

Wainwright (12-10) threw his second shutout and third complete game of the season. Two of the complete games have come during a string of six consecutive victories at home with a 1.42 ERA. He pitched a five-hitter on Aug. 4, a 6-1 victory over the Brewers.

Wainwright is 12-1 with a 1.58 ERA for his career against Houston. The Astros got two-out hits in the ninth from Justin Maxwell and Jason Castro in a bid to spoil the shutout before Wainwright fanned Ben Francisco on his 105th pitch.

The Astros have been outscored 15-1 in two games under interim manager Tony DeFrancesco, who held a team meeting prior to the game in an effort to lift the stripped-down franchise out of the doldrums. Houston is just 7-41 since June 28.

Tyler Greene, a former Cardinals first-round pick dealt to Houston earlier this year for a player to be named, struck out twice and grounded out in his first game in St. Louis as a visitor.

Harrell (10-9) had allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last seven starts, but balked home the first run and got a visit from pitching coach Doug Brocail after facing just five hitters. The right-hander retired just five of the first 15 batters before settling down, allowing a walk and sacrifice fly the last 10 hitters.

The day after their 6-3, 19-inning loss to the Pirates — the longest game in the majors this season — manager Mike Matheny led a delegation to help rebuild tornado-ravaged Joplin, Mo., and other Cardinals played charity golf.

Jay doubled to start the bottom of the first, and with one out St. Louis got five straight singles from Matt Holliday, Allen Craig, David Freese, Molina and Schumaker. Craig and Freese walked to start the third, Molina followed with an RBI single and Rafael Furcal added a sacrifice fly.

The Astros were shut out for the 12th time.

— Associated Press —

Pedro Alvarez homered in the 19th inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates won the longest game in the majors this season, outlasting the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 Sunday.

It took 6 hours, 7 minutes to finish. Both teams scored a run in the 17th, and each club used eight pitchers.

Alvarez hit his 23rd homer, a solo shot off Barret Browning (1-3). Andrew McCutchen added a two-run single later in the inning.

Wandy Rodriguez (8-12), who was set to start for the Pirates on Monday night at San Diego, got the win with two scoreless innings of relief.

About 9,000 fans from the original crowd of more than 43,000 stayed until the end. This was the longest game by innings in the big leagues this year. At 6:07, it tied for the longest by time, matching a game between Baltimore and Boston on May 6.

Each team had played a marathon in recent years. St. Louis went 20 innings against the Mets on April 17, 2010, and Pittsburgh played 19 innings at Atlanta on July 26, 2011.

The Pirates improved to 4-0 in extra innings this season. They moved two games ahead of St. Louis in the race for the last wild card spot in the NL. The Cardinals have lost three of four overall.

Both teams ran out of position players after the 18th inning.

Garrett Jones gave Pittsburgh a short-lived 3-2 lead with a bases-loaded infield single in the 17th. He drove in pitcher James McDonald, who singled as a pinch-hitter.

But St. Louis came right back to tie it on a sacrifice fly by Tony Cruz that brought in pinch-runner Ryan Jackson. Yadier Molina and Skip Schumaker began the 17th inning with singles.

St. Louis left-hander Jaime Garcia, sidelined for 64 days with a strain in his pitcher shoulder, struck out a career-high 10 and did not allow an earned run in an eight-inning, 107-pitch stint. He gave up five hits, two unearned runs and did not walk a batter.

Pittsburgh had a pair of hits in the 16th but Molina threw out Jose Tabata trying to steal and reliever Joe Kelly induced McCutchen to ground out to end the inning. Reliever Edward Mujica got Neil Walker to ground into a double play to end the 11th.

Carlos Beltran put St. Louis in front with a two-run double in the fourth, and also stole three bases. Beltran leads the NL with 85 RBIs.

Pittsburgh starter Jeff Karstens gave up two runs on two hits over seven innings. He struck four and walked one.

The Pirates scored twice in the sixth to tie it on a pair of infield singles and Garcia’s throwing error. Clint Barmes reached on an infield hits and Garcia mishandled a bunt attempt by Karstens. Josh Harrison drove in Barmes with a sacrifice fly and McCutchen followed with an infield single.

— Associated Press —

The St. Louis Cardinals needed a lift. Luckily for them, Yadier Molina was ready to return to the lineup.

Molina had three hits and two RBIs, leading the Cardinals to a big 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

St. Louis bounced back from Friday night’s 2-1 loss in the series opener and pulled within a game of Pittsburgh for the second NL wild-card spot. Jaime Garcia is expected to come off the disabled list to start Sunday’s series finale against Pirates right-hander Jeff Karstens.

Molina also had two RBIs and scored a run after missing the previous three games with a sore back. The All-Star catcher hit a tiebreaking two-run double off Erik Bedard (7-13) in the fifth inning to give the Cardinals a 5-3 lead.

“Not just his presence but his production,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “It’s great to have Yadi back.”

The Cardinals had scored just two runs in their previous two games. Batting sixth, Molina went 3 for 4.

“It feels so good,” said Molina, who indicated his back was not bothering him after the game. “I was waiting for this moment the last three days. It’s good to be back, it’s good to get the win.”

Pittsburgh loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth against Jason Motte but only managed one run on Andrew McCutchen’s infield out. Garrett Jones struck out swinging and Josh Harrison bounced into a fielder’s choice to end the game.

Motte fell behind 3-0 to Jones before coming back to get him. Jones took a healthy cut at the 3-0 pitch, which was fine with Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle.

“He’s your cleanup hitter and arguably as hot as anyone we have on the team,” Hurdle said.

“We’re going to play the game to win it. We’re not going to be afraid to make a mistake or play on our heels.”

Barret Browning (1-2) pitched a scoreless inning for his first major league win. Motte earned his 28th save in 33 chances after blowing his previous opportunity Thursday against Arizona.

Motte was not dwelling on the past when he loaded the bases Saturday.

“I don’t really think about the other day,” Motte said. “I was out there and I was thinking, ‘I got to get this guy at the plate.’ That’s pretty much exactly what I was thinking.”

Shane Robinson also had a two-run double for St. Louis, which finished with 11 hits. Rafael Furcal went 2 for 5 and scored twice, and Allen Craig had two singles.

Jordy Mercer went 2 for 4 with two RBIs for the Pirates, who struck out 14 times.

Craig’s second hit put runners on the corners with two down in the fifth. Bedard then walked David Freese before Molina came up with his opposite-field double to right to put St. Louis in front.

Cardinals starter Lance Lynn allowed three runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked three.

Mercer singled in Clint Barmes in the third and doubled in Starling Marte in the fifth, cutting St. Louis’ lead to 3-2. Mercer eventually scored the tying run on Jones’ sacrifice fly to right.

— Associated Press —

James McDonald halted a string of ineffective starts with six innings of two-hit ball, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Friday night in a matchup of NL Central playoff contenders.

Andrew McCutchen singled and scored on a passed ball in a two-run fourth for the Pirates, who also scored on a wild pitch that inning. Pittsburgh totaled 41 runs during its first six games in St. Louis this season.

McDonald (11-5) was 0-2 in his previous four outings while allowing 20 earned runs over 21 1/3 innings. He coughed up a 7-1 lead in his last start when he allowed six runs in the fifth during a loss to the Padres.

Jake Westbrook (12-9) allowed one earned run and six hits in 7 2/3 innings for the Cardinals, who managed only one run for the second straight game. One inning was the difference on Thursday night, too, when closer Jason Motte gave up consecutive homers with one out in the ninth of a 2-1 loss to Arizona.

The Cardinals lead the National League in hitting but have 10 hits in the last two games, including four infield hits Thursday.

McDonald retired the first 10 in order with the help of a double-play ball. Allen Craig doubled with two outs in the fourth for the Cardinals’ first hit, but was erased trying to advance on a pitch McDonald bounced in front of the plate.

Joel Hanrahan worked around a one-out walk in the ninth for his NL-leading 34th save in 37 chances. Matt Holliday, just 4 for 45 in his last nine games, lined out to the right-field wall to start the inning.

The Pirates have won just three of nine, but they moved two games ahead of St. Louis for the NL’s second wild-card spot. Pittsburgh won without second baseman Neil Walker, expected to miss the series after dislocating his right pinkie Wednesday.

Pittsburgh loaded the bases with a walk and singles by McCutchen and Garrett Jones to open the fourth, took the lead on Westbrook’s wild pitch and made it 2-0 on a passed ball by Tony Cruz.

The Cardinals ended a string of 10 straight scoreless innings against Chris Resop in the seventh. Carlos Beltran opened with a bloop hit that ended a 2-for-20 slump and went to third on David Freese’s double. Beltran scored on a one-out groundout by Cruz.

Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo was ejected by plate umpire Lance Barnett for arguing balls and strikes in the sixth.

— Associated Press —

Adam Wainwright allowed two runs in six innings and the St. Louis Cardinals got home runs from David Freese and Allen Craig in a 5-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

Rafael Furcal’s two-run triple in the sixth gave the Cards a three-run lead.

St. Louis homered twice for the second straight game and will go for a sweep of the three-game series behind 12-game winner Kyle Lohse on Thursday night.

The Cardinals are 5-0 against the Diamondbacks this year and have won seven straight dating to last year.

Wainwright (11-10) was 0-3 in April before starting to regain his form. He’s 4-0 with a 2.04 ERA in his past five starts.

Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt hit a homer estimated at 456 feet, longest by an opposing player at seven-year-old Busch Stadium, in the fourth.

Goldschmidt’s first homer in nine games came on a drive that soared over the visitor’s bullpen in left. The distance of the homer is the fourth longest overall at Busch, and is 13 feet shy of Matt Holliday’s stadium-record homer off the Cubs’ Ryan Dempster on July 20.

Joe Saunders (6-9) allowed five runs in six innings, the first time the lefty gave up more than three runs in 11 road starts. He entered with a 2.49 road ERA, fourth-best in the league.

The Diamondbacks (58-59) have lost eight of 11 and dropped below .500 for the first time since they were 49-50 on July 26.

Freese ended an 0-for-20 slump with his 16th homer after Carlos Beltran doubled with two outs in the fourth to put the Cardinals up 2-1.

Craig hit his 18th to right-center in the fifth and the Cardinals got three straight hits from the bottom of the order capped by Furcal’s liner into the right-field corner in the sixth.

Furcal was moved to the bottom of the lineup last week while battling back issues and a slump. He also doubled in the third for his first mulitihit game since July 24.

Edward Mujica and Mitchell Boggs each worked a scoreless inning. Jason Motte finished for his 27th save in 31 chances.

— Associated Press —