Wong and Molina lead Cardinals over Pirates, 8-4

Jedd Gyorko drove in three runs while Kolten Wong, just off the disabled list, and Yadier Molina both had three hits to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.

Gyorko hit a pair of doubles, including a tiebreaking one in the fifth inning. Wong was activated before the game after being out since July 22 with left knee inflammation.

Matt Carpenter doubled and tied a career high with his 28th home run, a solo shot in the ninth off Dovydas Neverauskas. Jose Martinez doubled twice and Harrison Bader also had two of the Cardinals' 14 hits.

Dakota Hudson (2-0) pitched three perfect innings of relief of fellow rookie Austin Gomber, who gave up four runs in four innings.

Ivan Nova was also touched for four runs in four innings. The Pirates had won his previous four starts.

Pittsburgh's David Freese homered to open the scoring in the second inning. The Pirates lost for just the second time in their last 12 games inside the NL Central.

St. Louis moved ahead for good by scoring twice off Alex McRae (0-1) in the fifth inning to break a 4-4 tie. Jose Martinez and Gyorko led off with back-to-back doubles and Gyorko scored on Harrison Bader's groundout.

McRae allowed three runs in 3 1/3 innings.

The Cardinals moved ahead 3-1 with three runs in the third as Martinez hit an RBI double and Gyorko followed with a two-run double. Bader doubled and scored on Gomber's grounder in the fourth to make it 4-1.

The Pirates tied it with three in the fourth. Jordy Mercer singled in a run and Adam Frazier hit a two-run double.