Last Updated on May 24, 2007 6:31 pm by admin
ST. LOUIS (AP) -Braden Looper won for the third time in four starts and Yadier Molina extended his hitting streak to 15 games, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Thursday to complete a three-game sweep.
Both of the Cardinals’ sweeps this season have come against the Pirates, the other on the road in April. Before the series, the defending World Series champions had lost five in a row and were nine games below .500.
Jose Bautista’s homer ended a 41-inning long ball drought for the Pirates, who have lost five in a row and seven of nine.
Looper (6-3) allowed only two other hits in six innings. He had thrown 21 2-3 consecutive scoreless innings against the Pirates before Bautista’s homer, and is 5-0 with a 1.41 ERA in five day starts.
Pirates starter Tom Gorzelanny (5-3) left the game after Aaron Miles’ smash up the middle with one out in the sixth deflected off his thumb. X-rays were negative and the left-hander is not expected to miss a turn in the rotation.
MORE