Sports Network | September 29, 2010
St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Garrett Jones went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and knocked in three, as the Pittsburgh Pirates earned a 7-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the second of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.
John Bowker added a pinch-hit three-run double for the Pirates, who have won three of four.
Brian Burres (4-4) allowed two runs -- one earned -- on four hits with three walks without striking out a batter over 5 2/3 innings to take the victory.
"He got through some jams. We made some plays behind him on a couple really hard hit balls. He hung in there," Pirates manager John Russell said of Burres.
Matt Pagnozzi hit his first-career homer for St. Louis, which was eliminated from playoff consideration earlier on Tuesday when the Cincinnati Reds defeated Houston to claim the National League Central Division title. The Cardinals had won four of five coming in.
"It feels great. Unfortunately it came in a game where we didn't come out on top," Pagnozzi said.
Jeff Suppan (2-8) worked 5 1/3 innings and surrendered four runs -- three earned -- on five hits with one walk while fanning three.
Pittsburgh opened the scoring with a three-run first. Andrew McCutchen drew a leadoff walk, took second on a passed ball by catcher Pagnozzi, moved to third on a groundout before crossing the plate on a missed catcher error by Suppan. Jones followed with a two-run homer to center.
Pagnozzi's one-out solo shot to left in the second got the Cardinals on the board and they would tack on another in the third. With runners on first and second, and one out, Matt Holliday reached on a fielding error by shortstop Ronny Cedeno that allowed Daniel Descalso to score for a 3-2 game.
Jones' lined drive base hit off the glove of second baseman Tyler Greene in the sixth brought in McCutchen to put the Bucs up by two.
Pittsburgh stranded the bases loaded in the seventh, but the visitors blew the game open in the eighth when Bowker lined a three-run double to center to make it 7-2.
Cardinals utility infielder Aaron Miles came on to pitch the top of the ninth and tossed a scoreless inning. Chris Leroux then finished off the win with a perfect home ninth.
The Cardinals announced earlier on Tuesday that pitcher Adam Wainwright will likely will not pitch again in 2010. The right-hander was scratched from his next scheduled start Thursday against Colorado as a precaution due to a right forearm muscle strain...The Pirates have won five of their last seven over the Cardinals, but trail in the season series, 8-6.
UPDATE by Charlie: The Pirates won, but so did the Seattle Mariners, clinching the first pick in next year's draft for the Pirates. Now we can hope for the Pirates to win the rest of their games.