ST. LOUIS -- Adam Wainwright relished the chance to stop a skid.The Cardinals ace worked seven effective innings to help St. Louis beat Pittsburgh 5-1 on Thursday to avoid a four-game sweep and end the Pirates season-best seven-game winning streak.Today, I really wanted to push it as long as I possibly could, Wainwright said. I was having fun mixing and matching and mixing my delivery speed. I was pitching out there, thats how I did it in 2014.Wainwright (8-5) was a 20-game winner two years ago, but missed most of last season with a torn left Achilles. He is rediscovering his form now, lowering his ERA to 4.49.Hes been a master craftsman for years, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. He was on top of his game.Stephen Piscotty hit a three-run home run and Randal Grichuk also went deep for St. Louis, which reclaimed second place in the NL Central by a half-game over Pittsburgh to end a rough 4-5 homestand. All-Star Matt Carpenter (oblique) joined Brandon Moss (ankle) and Brayan Pena (knee) on the 15-day disabled list earlier in the day.We heard the news, then we went about our business, Piscotty said. We have to stay the course. I dont think anyones going to give up by any means.Piscottys 11th homer off Arquimedes Caminero was initially ruled off the top of the center-field wall but the call was overturned after review. Piscotty had three homers during the home stand but didnt think this one was out.Tyler Glasnow (0-1) was charged with four runs in 5 1/3 innings in his debut. The 22-year-old right-hander was the 11th starter used by the Pirates and, like Steven Brault earlier in the series, got his first career hit.It was kind of crazy waking up and coming to the ballpark and I really think I tk it all in, the 6-ft-8 Glasnow said. It was a fun experience.Hurdle was impressed.He commanded the zone, he made his pitches, the manager said. He didnt let things get out of hand at any point in time.Jordy Mercer doubled and had an RBI for the Pirates, who had come from behind to win the previous six games. They havent swept a four-game series in St. Louis since 1997 and the Cardinals havent been swept in four games at home by anyone since Colorado in 2009.Aledmys Diaz, named an All-Star earlier in the day to replace Carpenter, tripled off the top of the left-field fence and scored on a wild pitch to tie it in the fourth. Grichuks first homer since June 12 gave the Cardinals the lead for gd in the fifth.Wainwright matched his season best with nine strikeouts and got his 129th career win, passing Harry Brecheen for seventh on the franchise list. Hes permitted one run over 14 innings his last two outings.The way the first month and a half went for me was a real grind but I knew I was going to turn it around, Wainwright said. And Im on my way, I wanted that eighth win.The first pitch was delayed 31 minutes by rain. During the homestand there were 5 hours and 44 minutes of delays.TRAINERS RMPirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (triceps) is expected to make a second rehab start on Sunday.Cardinals: 3B Jhonny Peralta (left thumb) missed his second straight start.NICE GLOVECardinals 3B Greg Garcia made two nice grabs on liners, robbing Jung Ho Kang in the first and pinch-hitter Sean Rodriguez in the eighth. Garcia led off in place of Carpenter and had a double, walk and scored a run.UP NEXTPirates: Francisco Liriano (5-8, 5.34) snapped a five-game losing streak his last time out, but is 0-2 against the Cubs this year.Cardinals: Michael Wacha (5-7, 4.3 has won three straight starts and faces the Brewers for the second straight time. Adidas Nmd Sleva . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. Adidas Nmd Dámské . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. http://www.botynmdlevne.com/ .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. Adidas Boty Pánské Nmd .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be gd to get back to ftball after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. Adidas Nmd r2 Damske . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2.Ahead of England’s two-match T20I series against South Africa, Nick Knight blogs on why hed shunt Ben Stokes up the order and why Moeen Ali has a crucial role to play in the nets… England have a decision to make in their T20Is against South Africa - do they pick the best team to win the series, or the team they plan to use in the World T20?I would definitely go for the former as the best thing for England heading to India is to have wins under their belt, even if they then make minor tweaks to their side for the World Cup.They showed a want to chop and change in the UAE, saying they wanted to increase their depth of squad, but now is the time to play your top XI, not dish out opportunities.One change England could make - and something I would like to see them explore - is to promote Ben Stokes up the order, perhaps as high as No 3 but certainly to No 4. Watch Ben Stokes score the second fastest double century in history on day two of the second Test against South Africa That may be a bit of a gamble but you have the safety valve of Joe Rt, Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler - whose position must remain flexible - to come and if they are to win another global tournament then having Stokes power in a bit earlier could be key.He is one of those players who you feel can make a dramatic impact in any game so you want him to play as big a role for you as possible.It could be the difference between winning and losing, even in a team of so many big hitters. Watch Jos Buttler blast a century for England in the second ODI against South Africa in Bloemfontein The guts of the side from the one-day series will remain in the T20Is, certainly in the batting department, but I do like the additions of James Vince and Sam Billings.ddddddddddddVince is a highly-regarded one-day player who gives England a quality replacement at the top of the order should Alex Hales or Jason Roy pick up a niggle.Plus, Billings is full of invention and could bst the side down the order in the No 6 or No 7 spot, although you would assume Buttler is nailed on to keep the gloves. Moeen Ali will have a crucial role ahead of the World T20 What goes on in the nets in South Africa could also be just as important for England as what happens out in the middle.I dont think theres a real chance they open the bowling with Moeen Ali or Adil Rashid in this series or that Hales and Roy face South Africa spinner Imran Tahir first up.But England should toss a new ball to Moeen in practice and get him bowling at Hales and Roy so that both of those bases are covered ahead of the World T20, where spin will figure prominently. AB de Villiers is back in the grve for South Africa South Africa have hit their straps at the right time, with their key men finding form - Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers scored excellent hundreds in the ODIs and Quinton de Kock hit two of them.The key for them moving forward is to get Dale Steyn fit and firing.If he is, South Africa become a genuine threat to win the World T20, especially considering many of their players are familiar with Indian conditions through the IPL.What would your preferred England batting line-up be? Have your say by filling out the comments box at the ft of the page...Stay up to date with Englands T20 warm-up match against South Africa A on Wednesday on Sky Sports digital platforms before watching the two-match series against South Africa on Sky Sports 2, starting with the opener, in Cape Town, from 3.30pm on Friday. Get a Sky Sports Day Pass Dont miss South Africa v England. Watch live on NOW TV for ￡6.99. 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