Matt Carpenter picks up Cardinals’ bullpen with walk-off homer

7:25 PM ET

ST. LOUIS – The first walk-off home run of Matt Carpenter’s career helped the St. Louis Cardinals win a battle of the bullpens over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

Carpenter hit a two-run shot off A.J. Schugel in the bottom of the ninth and St. Louis earned a 6-4 win at Busch Stadium.

Carpenter’s heroics overshadowed solid starting pitching by Adam Wainwright and Jeff Locke, who each allowed the bases to be loaded and two runs to score in the first inning. Then both pitchers put the clamps down from the second through sixth innings.

Wainwright retired 14 in a row after Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer’s leadoff single in the second inning. Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli singled with two outs in the sixth to end the streak.

Locke retired the final 12 batters he faced after Stephen Piscotty …

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