Pirates cool off Cards

PITTSBURGH -- If only for a day, the Pittsburgh Pirates got tired of being a fast route to the playoffs.

Rob Mackowiak hit a tiebreaking homer and the Pirates, dominated much of the season by contenders, ended the St. Louis Cardinals' nine-game winning streak, 2-1 Sunday.

The loss -- St. Louis' first since baseball resumed play Monday following a six-day break -- prevented the Cardinals from becoming the majors' first team since the 1954 Milwaukee Braves with three winning streaks of 10 or more games in a season.

The Cardinals, who lead the NL wild card race, had earlier streaks of 10 and 11 games. The Pirates, avoiding their third series sweep by St. Louis this season, had lost seven in a row and are 20-57 against the nine NL teams still in postseason contention.

Despite losing, the Cardinals have won 12 of 14 going into an important three-game series against Houston that starts tonight. St. Louis fell 4 1/2 games behind the Astros in the NL Central after Houston beat Chicago Sunday.

"If we go in there and win two of three, I think we'll be in good shape," said Craig Paquette, who homered for St. Louis' only run.

"If we win every series from here on out, I think we'll be in pretty good shape. We'd like to win our division, but it's whatever gets you into the playoffs. We'd love to be there and see what we can do."

Pirates finally win

The Pirates, who must win at least seven times in their final 12 games to avoid a 100-loss season, had been 2-11 against the Cardinals and hadn't beaten them in 11 games in Pittsburgh since May 19, 2000.

"I'm from Chicago, and I keep getting phone calls from my friends asking if we were ever going to beat those guys," said Mackowiak, who homered in the seventh. "It was good to finally beat these guys for once."

St. Louis scored 22 runs in winning the first three games of the series but, as usual, gave Dustin Hermanson (13-13) little offensive help as he failed to match his career high with 14 wins.

The Cardinals managed only Paquette's solo homer in seven innings against rookie Dave Williams (3-6), who had won only once in 14 starts since June 26.

Hermanson left after giving up seven hits and two runs in seven innings -- the fourth straight time he has gotten one run of support in a loss.

St. Louis put two on with two outs in the eighth, but reliever Josias Manzanillo got Albert Pujols to ground out. Pujols had 15 RBIs in six games since Monday, driving in the decisive run in two straight games and three of four. Manzanillo closed for his second save.

Williams retired 12 of the first 13 batters and limited the Cardinals to three singles until Paquette hit a full-count pitch over the center-field fence in the seventh for his 15th homer.

The Pirates, outscored 45-12 in losing their previous six home games against St. Louis, regained the lead in the bottom of the inning when Mackowiak hit his fourth homer.