Cardinals 6, Pittsburgh, 4

(Tuesday, July 31st) Final Score: St. Louis 6, Pittsburgh 4 Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Yadier Molina drove in two runs while Adam Wainwright pitched six solid innings, as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-4, in the opener a three-game series at PNC Park. Wainwright (10-8) allowed two runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and a walk for the Cardinals, who won their fourth consecutive game. Scott Rolen added two hits and two runs scored in the win. This marked the second four- game win streak of the season for St. Louis, and its first since early April. Ryan Doumit homered for the lowly Pirates, who have lost four straight games and 14 of their last 16 contests overall. Jason Bay finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored and Jack Wilson notched two RBI in the loss. Paul Maholm absorbed the loss on the mound despite six decent innings of work. Maholm (7-13) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits with three strikeouts. Maholm, though, has a new teammate in the starting rotation, as earlier Tuesday the Pirates acquired right-hander Matt Morris from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for minor league outfielder Rajai Davis. Meanwhile, in another deal just prior to Tuesdays non-waiver trade deadline, the Cardinals received right-handed pitcher Joel Pineiro from Boston for a player to be named. The Cardinals grabbed an early lead with a run in the top of the first inning on So Taguchis RBI double before Wilson singled home Bay in the bottom of the second for a 1-1 tie. The teams again traded runs in the fourth inning on RBI singles by Molina, whose base hit scored Albert Pujols, and Wilson. Wilsons single allowed pinch-runner Nate McLouth to score. McLouth was brought into the game for Xavier Nady, who led off the inning with a single but left the game after he limped to first base. Nady injured his left hamstring for the second time this season. St. Louis took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth when Ryan Ludwick doubled home Rolen, and two more runs by the visitors in the seventh created a 5-2 advantage. In the seventh, Aaron Miles led off with a single and moved to third when Chris Duncan followed with a double. David Ecksteins fly ball allowed Miles to score before another sac fly off the bat of Skip Schumaker gave the Cards a three-run edge. Bays RBI single in the bottom of the seventh brought the Pirates within 5-3. Molinas sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth scored Rolen, whod doubled leading off, but Doumit brought the Pirates back within two when he led off the bottom of the eighth with his eighth home run of the season. Jason Isringhausen tossed a scoreless ninth for his 21st save of the campaign. Game Notes Nady is considered day-to-day...The Cards other four-game win streak was from April 8-11...Maholm fell to 1-2 in four career starts versus the Cardinals, who improved to 7-2 against their Central Division foes this season...The Pirates outhit the Cards, 12-10...Attendance was 24,085.