PITTSBURGH (AP) - Dexter Fowler's two -run triple sparked the St. Louis Cardinals to an 11-7 comeback win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday night at PNC Park.
With the Cardinals trailing 5-4 with one out in the seventh inning, Fowler tripled down the right field line off reliever Joaquin Benoit to give St. Louis a 6-5 lead. Fowler went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, scored three runs and walked twice.
Yadier Molina followed with an RBI single to make it 7-5 and chase Benoit (1-6), who allowed three runs on three hits in a third of an inning. Benoit has surrendered nine runs in six games for the Pirates since being acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies on July 31.
St. Louis added four more runs in the ninth inning before Pittsburgh answered with two in the bottom half.
Fowler went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, scored three runs and walked twice.
Right-hander Sam Tuivailala (3-1) pitched one scoreless inning for the win. He allowed three hits and had two strikeouts.
Pittsburgh left the bases loaded in the sixth inning and stranded runners on second and third in the seventh.
After trailing 5-1 at the end of the third inning, St. Louis rallied to avoid a fourth straight loss while Pittsburgh's losing streak reached five games. The Cardinals remain third in the National League Central, 1 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs.
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