Sports Network | August 1, 2010
St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) – Adam Wainwright continued his dominance at home and Albert Pujols clubbed a two-run home run as the St. Louis Cardinals completed a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 9-1 win.
Wainwright (15-6) moved his mark to 11-0 this season in 12 starts at Busch Stadium. He gave up one run on six hits with five strikeouts over seven innings and went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored.
Brendan Ryan went 3-for-3 with three runs scored while Aaron Miles had two hits and three RBI for the Cardinals, who have won four of their last five.
Ronny Cedeno drove in the lone run while Zach Duke (5-10) was tagged for six runs on seven hits over five innings to take the loss for the Pirates, who have dropped four straight and eight of their last 10.
Pittsburgh got on the board in the second as Lastings Milledge led off with a triple and came home when Cedeno followed with a single for a 1-0 lead.
St. Louis got the run back in the third when Ryan started the frame with a double, moved to third on a groundout from Wainwright and came home thanks to a sacrifice fly from Miles.
In the fifth, the Cardinals blew the game open. Colby Rasmus led off with a double and Ryan reached base on a bunt single. Back-to-back singles from Wainwright and Miles brought home two runs, and Felipe Lopez followed with a double play that left Wainwright at third. Jon Jay then singled home Wainwright, and Pujols followed by crushing a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left- center for a 6-1 lead.
Matt Holliday added a solo homer in the eighth, and an RBI single from Miles followed by a bases-loaded walk from pinch-hitter Randy Winn accounted for the final score.
Pujols’ home run was his 25th of the season…St. Louis begins a three-game set vs. Houston on Monday…Pittsburgh returns home to begin a three-game set against Cincinnati on Monday…St. Louis has won five of the six games against Pittsburgh this season…Wainwright improved to 7-2 versus the Pirates.