<p>PITTSBURGH — Matt Carpenter hit his second pinch. three-run home run in as many days, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-3 on Friday night.</p>
<p>Carpenter connected off Duane Underwood Jr. in the sixth inning to put the Cardinals ahead 6-1 while batting for John Gant (2-2). Carpenter was batting .096 he he followed Tyler O’Neill’s single and Andrew Knizer’s walk with a drive to right-center for his third home run this season.</p>
<p>Carpenter took Philadelphia ace Aaron Nola deep Thursday in a game the Cardinals won 4-3 in 10 innings.</p>
<p>O’Neill had three hits, including a leadoff home run in the fourth inning. The drive cleared the bullpens in center field, to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.</p>
<p>Nolan Arenado hit run-scoring bloop doubles in the first and third innings, the first Cardinals batter with two doubles in a game since Yadier Molina against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 9, 2019.</p>
<p>St. Louis won for the sixth time in eight games.</p>
<p>Gant gave up one run, three hits and five walks in five innings.</p>
<p>JT Brubaker (2-2) allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings, including an RBI single in the fourth by Kevin Newman, who had two of Pittsburgh’s four hits.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh scored twice in the sixth when Kodi Whitley relieved with the bases loaded and two outs, balked in a run and threw a run-scoring wild pitch that cut the Pirates’ deficit to 6-3.</p>
<p>After walking pinch-hitter Todd Frazier, Whitley escaped the jam by getting Adam Frazier to ground out.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh dropped to 12-13 with consecutive losses.</p>
<p>BADER IS BACK</p>
<p>Cardinals center fielder Harrison Bader made his season debut after beginning the year on the injured list with a right forearm strain. He was 1 for 4 with two strikeouts.</p>
<p>Bader is confident the forearm issue is behind him.</p>
<p>“I now have a routine that I’ve been doing for the past six weeks that has allowed me to put myself in a really good physical position to go out there and compete,” he said.</p>
<p>Rookie Dylan Carlson, who had been filling in for Bader, will play right field.</p>
<p>CABRERA PERFECT</p>
<p>Cardinals reliever Genesis Cabrera pitched two perfect innings. It was his first appearance since hitting the Phillies’ Bryce Harper in the face with a pitch Wednesday night.</p>
<p>Cabrera sent a note of apology to Harper on Thursday saying the beaning was unintentional.</p>
<p>EVANS EJECTED</p>
<p>Pirates pinch-hitter Phillip Evans was ejected in the ninth inning by plate umpire James Hoye for arguing a called third strike. </p>
<p>TRAINER’S ROOM</p>
<p>Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright is expected to be activated from the COVID-19 IL Monday and start against the New York Mets. Wainwright has been vaccinated, but he came in close contact with a family member who has tested positive for the virus. Wainwright was scheduled to pitch Sunday against the Pirates but RHP Carlos Martinez will take his place. … RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon (right shoulder inflammation) was placed on the 10-day IL and RHP Jake Woodford was recalled from the alternate training site.</p>
<p>Pirates RHP Chad Kuhl (right shoulder discomfort) played catch from 120 feet.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>St Louis RHP Jack Flaherty (4-0, 3.18 ERA) puts his perfect record on the line Saturday night against RHP Trevor Cahill (1-2, 7.11). Flaherty has a 1.50 ERA in his last four starts. Cahill has allowed seven runs in two of his four starts this season and one run in each of the other two.</p>
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