Cardinals endure rain, outlast Pirates in 10th

PITTSBURGH -- J.D. Drew tripled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and the Cardinals, down to their last strike before Scott Rolen hit a three-run homer in the ninth, rallied past the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-8 Friday night.

Albert Pujols didn't homer for the first time in five games, but had a career-high five hits -- including an RBI single in the two-run 10th against reliever Brian Meadows (0-1).

The Cardinals trailed 6-1 and 7-2 before getting two late-inning three-run homers, Tino Martinez's shot in the eighth off Brian Boehringer and Rolen's in the ninth off closer Mike Williams.

The Pirates still had a chance to win it, with Jeff Reboulet's double scoring the tying run in the bottom of the ninth. But Cal Eldred (3-1) got Kenny Lofton to fly out with the bases loaded to send the game into extra innings.

Jeff Fassero, the sixth Cardinals pitcher, got three outs for his second save after Eldred blew his save opportunity in the ninth -- the 12th blown save in 23 chances by St. Louis relievers this season.

The Pirates have lost 15 of 19 overall.

Pitcher Brett Tomko singled as a pinch-hitter with one out in the 10th before Drew lifted a two-out drive to deep center. Lofton had the ball in his glove but couldn't hold it as he hit the wall.

Lofton homered to extend his hitting streak to 21 games, the NL's longest this season. Jason Kendall also homered and drove in three runs and Aramis Ramirez had two RBIs as the Pirates jumped on Jason Simontacchi to open a 6-1 lead in the third.

In a matchup of the NL's worst home team against one of its worst road teams, the road team won -- only the Cardinals' third victory in their last 10 road games. The Cardinals are 10-15 away from home.

That's a big turnaround from their 45-36 road mark last season, when the Cardinals won the NL Central by going 97-65. Their inability to win away from Busch Stadium, where they are 14-7 this season, might be the biggest reason why the Cardinals are only two games above .500.

Simontacchi was lifted after a rain delay of 1 hour, 20 minutes in the fifth, when Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon was upset with Randy Marsh's crew for halting the game only two outs before it would have become official.

Cardinals promote Molina, send Robinson to Memphis

The Cardinals recalled reliever Gabe Molina from Triple-A Memphis on Friday and optioned outfielder Kerry Robinson to the same club.

Molina, who joined the team in time for its game in Pittsburgh, was 1-3 with four saves and a 5.57 ERA in 19 games at Memphis. He pitched briefly with the Cardinals last season, going 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in 12 games.

The right-hander is 2-2 with a 6.20 ERA in 43 career games with the Orioles, Braves and Cardinals.

Robinson was hitting .179 with two homers and seven RBIs in 27 games. He hit .364 in eight games with Memphis earlier in the season.

Noteworthy

Pujols had homered in five of six games.

It rained steadily after the game resumed, but the umpires kept play going.

Ramirez had four hits and has 12 in his last 19 at-bats.