Burleson hits a game-ending homer as the Cardinals beat the Pirates 7-6

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Alec Burleson hit a game-ending solo homer with two out in the ninth inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday.

Burleson drove an 87 mph slider from Dennis Santana (4-5) deep to center for his 16th homer. It was his fourth hit of the night.

It was the first run allowed by Santana since Aug. 6. The right-hander surrendered three hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings over his previous six appearances.

Willson Contreras had two RBIs for St. Louis, which had dropped eight of 11. Michael McGreevy permitted four runs and six hits in six innings.

Bryan Reynolds and Spencer Horwitz hit back-to-back homers for Pittsburgh in the third.

St. Louis grabbed the lead with five runs in the fifth. Contreras hit a tying two-run single and scored on Nolan Gorman's double against Andrew Heaney. Thomas Saggese made it 6-4 with an RBI single.

Nick Gonzales got one back for Pittsburgh with a sacrifice fly in the seventh, and Ronny Simon hit a tying RBI double off Riley O’Brien (2-0) in the ninth.

Contreras and Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol were ejected in the seventh after arguing a called third strike.

The Pirates had a chance to go in front in the ninth, but Simon was thrown out at third by O'Brien when he tried to advance on a fielder's choice for Gonzales. Reynolds then struck out swinging for the final out of the inning.

Over his last 10 games, Burleson is 17 for 43 with five extra-base hits and eight RBIs.

Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller (5-12, 4.34 ERA) faces Cardinals right-hander Andre Pallante (6-11, 5.17 ERA) on Tuesday night.

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