ST. LOUIS _ Matt Adams connected on a three-run homer with no outs in the bottom of the eighth, lifting the Cardinals to a dramatic 8-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 33,566 Monday night at Busch Stadium.
The victory provided a nice finish to a night that featured the return of veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright. Making his first appearance since May 13, when he went to the disabled list with elbow discomfort, Wainwright pitched five innings in a no-decision.
The series will continue with games Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. and Wednesday at 12:15 p.m.
After a lengthy rehab assignment, he was activated from the 60-day disabled list for Monday's start. He gave up a solo homer to Colin Moran in the second and endured a rough third inning, allowing five hits, including a two-run shot to Starling Marte, and three runs.
Wainwright retired the last six hitters he faced to wrap up a five-inning start. The contest was tied at 4 when Wainwright was replaced by pinch-hitter Greg Garcia to lead off the home half of the fifth.
The 37-year-old Wainwright allowed four runs on seven hits. He threw 81 pitches, 56 for strikes, striking out three and walking no one.
In the sixth, Pittsburgh regained the lead on a one-out homer from Josh Harrison and tacked on another run on a two-out hit from Adam Frazier.
But the Redbirds rallied in the eighth, scoring four times. Matt Carpenter led off with a walk and went to third on a single up the middle by Jose Martinez. After pinch-runner Adolis Garcia took second on a wild pitch, Adams took a 2-1 pitch into the seats in right for a three-run homer to quickly turn a 6-4 deficit into a 7-6 lead.
Later in the inning, Marcel Ozuna scored on Harrison Bader's second sacrifice fly of the night for the 8-6 final.
The Pirates broke on top in the second when Moran hit a solo homer for a 1-0 Pittsburgh lead.
In the third, after pitcher Trevor Williams led off with a single and Frazier lined out to right, the Pirates' Marte deposited a 1-0 pitch over the wall in straight-away center to stretch the visitors' advantage to 3-0.
Successive hits from Josh Bell, Francisco Cervelli and Corey Dickerson stretched the lead to 4-0 before Wainwright could get the final two outs of the inning.
Matt Carpenter picked up the Cardinals' first hit, leading off the fourth with a double off the wall in right. He moved to third on Jose Martinez's single to right and scored an out later when Marcell Ozuna singled sharply to left. Paul DeJong followed with a double to the gap in left-center that drove in both Martinez and Ozuna to cut the lead to 4-3.
After an infield hit from Kolten Wong, a sacrifice fly to center from Harrison Bader tied the game at 4.
The Pirates' Josh Harrison put the visitors on top to stay in the sixth, hitting a solo homer with one out against lefty Chasen Shreve, who came on in relief of Wainwright to start the sixth. With two outs in the sixth, Jordy Mercy singled, pinch-hitter Kevin Kramer walked and Adam Frazier singled off Dominic Leone, allowing the Pirates to push their lead to 6-4.
After the Cardinals rallied to go up 8-6. Bell drove in a run with a two-out double off Carlos Martinez in the night. But DeJong threw out Francisoc Cervelli on a play from deep in the hole for the game's final out _ after the Pirates challenged.
The Pirates outhit the Cardinals 13-9, getting three hits and an RBI from Bell. Frazier (RBI) and Moran (solo homer) had two-hit games while Marte (two-run shot) and Harrison (solo shot) also went deep for the Pirates. Dickerson drove in the other Pittsburgh run. Edgar Santana (2-3) took the loss.
Adams' three-run homer highlighted the Cardinals' attack, which also featured a two-run double from DeJong, two-hit games from Ozuna and Martinez and two sacrifice flies from Bader. Ozuna also had an RBI. John Brebbia (2-3) pitched the eighth for the win; Carlos Martinez had the save, his third.
