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Paulino, LaRoche help Pirates top Cardinals

May 14, 2008 - 7:10 AM ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Ronny Paulino delivered an RBI single in the 10th inning and Adam LaRoche added a three-run double later in the frame to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series.

Paulino also had a run-scoring double in the seventh inning and Nate McLouth blasted his 10th home run of the season for the Pirates, who have won seven of their last eight contests.

With the score tied at 4-4, Freddy Sanchez drew a walk to led of the 10th and McLouth sacrificed him to second before Jason Bay was intentionally walked.

Paulino, who replaced an injured Ryan Doumit earlier in the contest, then belted a 1-1 offering from Ron Villone into center field to drive in the go-ahead run.

"He's taken advantage of his opportunities when he's gotten to play," manager John Russell said of Paulino. "I think as a tribute to him, he's been working out and even without getting a lot of playing time. He's been ready. He came up big for us tonight, so that's nice to see."

After Xavier Nady walked to load the bases, LaRoche lined a double into the left-center field gap to extend Pittsburgh's advantage to 8-4.

Paulino and LaRoche helped make a winner out of Marino Salas (1-0), who was making his major league debut.

"It was kind of a welcome to the big leagues," Russell said of Salas recording a win in his first day in the majors.

Salas, who spent 10 years in the minors, got into trouble in the ninth when he walked the bases loaded but he got Ryan Ludwick to pop out to end the threat and force extra innings.

"I got the exact pitch I was looking for," Ludwick said. "The ball was right down the middle of the plate. You couldn't ask for a better pitch. I just didn't stay on top of it. Hit it straight up in the air. I just didn't get it done this time."

"I like that situation," Salas said. "I want to go."

Pirates closer Matt Capps pitched a perfect 10th frame in a non-save situation to secure the win.

Albert Pujols tied the game at 4-4 with a solo home run in the seventh and Troy Glaus had a three-run shot in the sixth for the Cardinals, who have lost three straight contests and six of their last seven games.

McLouth gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 edge in the fourth with a two-run blast off Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse. Glaus' three-run home run in the sixth gave St. Louis a 3-2 advantage, but Pittsburgh rallied for two runs in the seventh to retake the lead.

After Bay led off the frame with a double, Paulino belted an RBI double to deep right field to tie the game at 3-3. Jose Bautista added a run-scoring single later in the inning to give the Pirates the lead.

Pittsburgh starter Phil Dumatrait yielded three runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts over six frames. Lohse lasted seven innings, allowing four runs and five hits with four strikeouts.

"Outside of that one pitch (to Glaus), I felt like I really kept them off-balance out there," Dumatrait said. "I looked at some tape after my last outing, and I saw I was getting tired and leaving some pitches up in the fourth and fifth. Tonight, I made one mistake, but I still felt strong. I never tired."