Final
Cardinals crush Pirates, snap seven-game losing streak
Aug 2, 2013 - 3:07 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - The St. Louis Cardinals had lost seven straight contests, and this week blew their lead in the NL Central.They took out their frustrations on the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday night.
Joe Kelly threw six shutout innings and the Cardinals got two RBI from Allen Craig, Jon Jay and Tony Cruz in a 13-0 rout at PNC Park.
The Cardinals, who pounded out 17 hits and scored eight times in the seventh inning, won for the first time on this road trip, which will conclude with a three-game set at Cincinnati.
"It's definitely a change in attitude and a change in atmosphere and a good way to leave here," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.
Kelly (2-3) allowed three hits and also went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored a run.
The Pirates were limited to five hits, two of them coming from Starling Marte. Despite their only loss in this five-game set, the Pirates will head into Friday with a 1 1/2 game lead in the division.
"We held a team in the bag for four days and the cat got out tonight," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.
Charlie Morton (3-3) surrendered 10 hits and five runs over six frames. He has gone 0-5 in his last six starts against the Cardinals.
Singles from Jay and Cruz put runners at the corners with two outs in the second. Morton then uncorked a wild pitch and was late covering the plate, allowing Jay to come home with the first run.
Morton struck out to leave the bases full in the bottom portion, and the Cardinals scored three times in the fourth. Jay was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Holliday then Matt Holliday scored on Cruz's double-play groundout. Pete Kozma followed with an RBI base hit to center.
St. Louis couldn't score after the loaded the bases in the fifth and Neil Walker grounded out with two men in scoring position in the bottom of the frame.
Carlos Beltran made it 5-0 in the sixth with an RBI double, which scored Kelly.
The Cardinals shelled Jeanmar Gomez in the eighth. The right-hander was pounded for seven runs -- five earned -- on four hits and a pair of walks.
Jay singled in a run and Cruz doubled to the left field corner to drive in two for an 8-0 margin. Matt Carpenter lifted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right.
Vic Black entered with the bases full again and Craig doubled to left for two RBI. Holliday's run-scoring groundout and Freese's RBI double capped the huge inning.
Game Notes
Holliday went 10-for-19 in the series ... Cruz had three hits ... Morton fell to 2-8 lifetime against the Cardinals ... The last time the Cardinals were swept in a five-game set came when they lost a six-games series September 23-27, 1916 by the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds. They haven't lost eight a row since Sept. 7-15, 2007, a nine-game skid ... Pittsburgh's last five-game sweep came against the San Francisco Giants in September of 1996.
- ST. LOUIS: 13
PITTSBURGH: 0
Final
Aug 1 10:29 PM - David Freese doubled to center scoring Allen Craig. Runner on second with two outs and Jon Jay due up.
Cardinals 13, Pirates 0 Top 7, 2 OutsAug 1 9:48 PM - Matt Holliday's groundout to first scored Adron Chambers. On the play, Allen Craig advances to third. Runner on third with two outs and David Freese due up.
Cardinals 12, Pirates 0 Top 7, 2 OutsAug 1 9:47 PM - Allen Craig doubled to left scoring Pete Kozma and Matt Adams. On the play, Adron Chambers advances to third. Runners on second and third with one out and Matt Holliday due up.
Cardinals 11, Pirates 0 Top 7, 1 OutAug 1 9:46 PM - Matt Carpenter sacrifice fly to right scored Tony Cruz. Runners on first and second and with one out and Carlos Beltran due up.
Cardinals 9, Pirates 0 Top 7, 1 OutAug 1 9:33 PM - Tony Cruz doubled to left scoring David Freese and Jon Jay. Runner on second with none out and Pete Kozma due up.
Cardinals 8, Pirates 0 Top 7, 0 OutsAug 1 9:26 PM - Jon Jay singled to left scoring Matt Holliday. On the play, David Freese advances to second. Runners on first and second with none out and Tony Cruz due up.
Cardinals 6, Pirates 0 Top 7, 0 OutsAug 1 9:25 PM - Carlos Beltran doubled to left-center scoring Joe Kelly. Runner on second with two outs and Allen Craig due up.
Cardinals 5, Pirates 0 Top 6, 2 OutsAug 1 9:01 PM - Pete Kozma singled to center scoring Jon Jay. Runner on first with two outs and Joe Kelly due up.
Cardinals 4, Pirates 0 Top 4, 2 OutsAug 1 8:16 PM - Tony Cruz's double play groundout from third to first scored Matt Holliday. On the play, Jon Jay advances to second and David Freese out at third. Runner on second with two outs and Pete Kozma due up.
Cardinals 3, Pirates 0 Top 4, 2 OutsAug 1 8:14 PM - Jon Jay's hit-by-pitch scored Allen Craig. Bases loaded with none out and Tony Cruz due up.
Cardinals 2, Pirates 0 Top 4, 0 OutsAug 1 8:10 PM - Charlie Morton's wild pitch scored Jon Jays. On the play, Tony Cruz advances to second on a wild pitch. Runner on second with two outs and Pete Kozma at the plate.
Cardinals 1, Pirates 0 Top 2, 2 OutsAug 1 7:25 PM - ST. LOUIS: 0
PITTSBURGH: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Aug 1 7:06 PM
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