Pirates 5 - 3 Cardinals
Final
  for this game

Westbrook goes after milestone in start with Bucs

Apr 27, 2013 - 1:53 PM

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(Sports Network) - Jake Westbrook goes after career win No. 100 Saturday when the right-hander leads the St. Louis Cardinals against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the continuation of a three-game series.

Westbrook is coming off a no-decision on Sunday at Philadelphia when he allowed seven hits and three runs in six innings. The problem for the veteran has been facing the Pirates. He's 1-7 with a 5.28 ERA in 13 games (9 starts) versus Pittsburgh. That lone win came July 1, 2012.

A.J. Burnett's only win of the season came against the Cardinals on April 17 when he limited them to a hit over seven shutout innings. The righty is 6-5 with a 3.94 ERA in 12 games against St. Louis.

Burnett is coming off a five-inning no-decision against Philadelphia on Monday.

On Friday, Carlos Beltran homered twice and Lance Lynn pitched seven strong innings to power the Cardinals to a 9-1 win.

Lynn (4-0), who entered Friday with a nine-inning scoreless streak, gave up his only run on a sixth-inning sacrifice fly from Pedro Alvarez. That scored Garrett Jones, who led off with a double. The right-hander allowed only one other hit, a single from Starling Marte to lead off the game.

"I've gotten into a little bit of a groove here," Lynn said. "It's good to be staying in that groove. I was able to get my fastball early and mix in offspeed pitches. That's what you have to do, keep them off balance, but also know who you are and challenge them with a fastball."

Allen Craig and Beltran each drove in three runs in St. Louis' fourth consecutive win.

Lynn, who had three walks and nine strikeouts, has a nine-game winning streak dating back to last year. His last regular season defeat came Sept. 7, against Milwaukee in relief.

Matt Carpenter and Beltran homered to start the game against Jonathan Sanchez, (0-3), who was ejected later in the first inning along with Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle.

The ejections came after Sanchez pegged Craig in the helmet with a pitch. Hurdle was ejected for arguing, and Jeanmar Gomez pitched the ensuing 4 1/3 innings.

"I have every belief he's trying to pitch in hard," Hurdle said of Sanchez. "He missed his spots over the plate so he's trying to push the hitter back and he clips him. Tim (Timmons) didn't see it that way."

St. Louis and Pittsburgh just split a shortened three-game series over a week ago at PNC Park. The middle contest was postponed for inclement weather.






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