NEU » to change. A morale-boosting display ag

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 took it all in, the 6-foot-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 good 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 ROOMPirates: 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, 4.38) has won three straight starts and faces the Brewers for the second straight time. Balenciaga Scarpe Uomo Saldi . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Scarpe Balenciaga Ingrosso .4 million title. Ryan Riess emerged with the title after a session in which he started behind, but used expert skill to gather the chips to his side amid the unpredictability of no-limit Texas Hold em. Riess put his final opponent Jay Farber all-in with an Ace-King. http://www.balenciagastoreitalia.it/ . According to a report from the Vancouver Province, the Lions are expected to replace former DC Rich Stubler with defensive backs coach Mark Washington. Balenciaga Outlet Italia .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. Balenciaga Scarpe Saldi .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Preview of A-League round-nine matches (all times AEDT):FRIDAY, Dec 2Melbourne Victory v Perth at AAMI Park 7.50pmHead to Head: Victory 12 Glory 13 drawn 9Last clash: Round 17 2015-16 - Glory 3 bt Victory 2 at nib StadiumTab Sportsbet: Victory $1.60 Glory $5.00 Draw $4.00Things are starting to get a little hairy for Perth. Last week, they became the first team in 36 matches not to score against Central Coast and, this week, theyve lost key men Diego Castro and Josh Risdon, who are unlikely to return from injury until the new year. Labelled as title fancies in pre-season, theyre already nine points behind Sydney FC, and cant afford to slip much further back. Victory, who have won three of their past four, regain Daniel Georgievski and Lawrence Thomas from injury, but theyll be minus Mitch Austin (ankle) for the next two weeks.Key: With playmaker Castro out, theres huge pressure on Nebojsa Marinkovic to start pulling the strings in attack for Perth.Tip: VictorySATURDAY, Dec 3Central Coast v Western Sydney at Central Coast Stadium 5.35pmHead to Head: Mariners 4 Wanderers 6 drawn 5Last clash: Round 4 2016-17 - Wanderers 1 drew Mariners 1 at Spotless StadiumTab Sportsbet: Mariners $3.50 Wanderers $2.05 Draw $3.40Its no doubt an unusual feeling looking at Central Coast above them on the ladder, and one seventh-placed Western Sydney will seek to rectify when they take their impassioned fans to Gosford. The Mariners rebuffed their battler status with an upset home win over Perth last week that lifted them to sixth, and will have momentum on their minds against a Wanderers outfit who showed improvement against Brisbane but remain stuck in a rut, results-wise, with five draws. Liam Rose (suspension) and Jacob Poscoliero (injury) are back for the home team.Key: Tony Popovic retained an identical starting XI for the first time against the Roar but, with one goal to show for 30 crosses, his side need another attacking dimension.Tip: DrawMelbourne City v Brisbane at AAMI Park 7.50pmHead to Head: City 8 Roar 8 drawn 3Last clash: Round 5 2016-17 - Roar 1 bt City 0 at Suncorp StadiumTab Sportsbet: City $2.00 Roar $3.50 Draw $3.50You could forgive City for reaching for the Panadol and Powerades the morning after Wednesday nights FFA Cup final win. But as entitled as they were to celebrate the clubs first piece of mens silverware, their clash with the Roar is arguably just as important in the grand scheme. Second-placed City and fourth-placed Brisbane are separated by just three points and both have designs on hauling back Sydney FCs runaway lead atop the ladder.ddddddddddddFFA Cup match winner Tim Cahill will need to overcome a knee issue to take his place while Brisbanes Thomas Kristensen and Brandon Borrello remain in doubt with hamstring injuries.Key: Can City get past the Roars defence? Last time they met, they failed to get a single shot on target.Tip: DrawSUNDAY, Dec 4Newcastle v Sydney FC at McDonald Jones Stadium 5.00pmHead to Head: Jets 6 Sydney 22 drawn 8Last clash: Round 4 2016-17 - Sydney 2 bt Jets 0 at McDonald Jones StadiumTab Sportsbet: Jets $4.50 Sydney $1.70 Draw $3.75After a dominant start to the season, a tricky December could undermine Sydney FCs commanding lead. That starts away to the Jets when the Sky Blues attempt to maintain their four-point advantage over FFA Cup final conquerors Melbourne City, who can close the gap by defeating Brisbane. Graham Arnolds side lacked their usual attacking prowess in their past two outings against City and Adelaide, and will be set on reigniting their spark against injury-ravaged Newcastle, who are eighth and without a win in six games. Alex Wilkinson has been named in Sydneys squad despite missing the FFA Cup decider through illness.Key: Whether Dane Morten Nordstand can back up from a minor hip flexor issue to provide the Jets with a much-needed clinical finish.Tip: SydneyAdelaide United v Wellington at Coopers Stadium 7.00pmHead to Head: Reds 14 Phoenix 8 drawn 6Last clash: Round 22 2015-16 - Reds 4 bt Phoenix 0 at Westpac StadiumTab Sportsbet: Reds $1.70 Phoenix $4.50 Draw $3.75Theres a feeling in the South Australian capital that Adelaides fortunes are about to change. A morale-boosting display against Sydney FC last weekend provided the strongest signal yet the defending champions ninth game could yield a breakthrough win in a bottom-two playoff with Wellington. Its not lost on the Reds faithful that Guillermo Amors last-placed side are in an identical position to last season - their title-winning run began in round nine. Either way, Amor will watch from the stands as he serves his second touchline ban. Not that Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick expects the absence to affect a team against whom hes won only four of his past 11 games.Key: The Reds could again find joy down the flanks via wingers Ryan Kitto and Nikola Mileusnic, especially with Phoenix left-back Tom Doyle (hamstring) still out.Tip: Adelaide ' ' '