Aug 21, 2002 3 min read

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Kris Benson allowed one hit in seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had lost six straight to St. Louis, homered a season-best five times in an 8-0 victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday night. Brian Giles, Craig Wilson, Adam Hyzdu, Aramis Ramirez and Rob Mackowiak homered and Jason Kendall had a three-run double for the Pirates, who have won only four of their last 14.

Kerry Robinson got the lone hit for the Cardinals, a blooper to left-center with one out in the first. The NL Central leaders have won nine of last 11, and had outscored their opponents 21-4 the previous four games.

The only other baserunner allowed by Benson (5-6) was a one-out walk to Scott Rolen in the second. After that he retired the last 17 batters he faced.

Benson, who struck out four and walked one, has a 1.14 ERA in his victories and a 14.48 ERA in his losses. He had been 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his previous five outings.

Brian Boehringer worked the eighth and Al Reyes pitched the ninth, completing the Pirates’ first combined one-hitter since Benson worked eight innings and Josias Manzanillo pitched the ninth at home against the Giants on Aug. 29, 2000.

Cardinals starter Luther Hackman (3-4), who had allowed only two homers in 57 2-3 innings, allowed three of the long balls. Making his fourth start, the converted reliever lasted four innings, giving up six runs – five earned – on six hits.

Giles, making his first start in four games due to a strained calf, and Wilson connected in the second with the bases empty for a 2-0 lead. Kendall’s double made it 5-0 in the third and Hyzdu homered off the foul pole in left to make it 6-0 in the fourth.

Ramirez and Mackowiak hit back-to-back homers off Mike Matthews in the eighth.

Albert Pujols was 0-for-3 for the Cardinals, ending a 10-game hitting streak in which he had homered five times – four against the Pirates – with 17 RBIs. He was removed in a double switch in the eighth.

NOTES: The Pirates’ last five-homer game was July 4, 2001, at Cincinnati. The franchise record is seven, Aug. 16, 1947 at home against the Cardinals. … Ramirez, who went 2-for-4, entered the game in a 3-for-21 slump. … The Pirates are 6-9 against the Cardinals this year after going 3-14 last season. … The Cardinals totaled 37 runs in a four-game sweep at Pittsburgh last week and won 7-2 in the series opener Monday. … Cardinals 3B Scott Rolen, who missed the previous two games with a sore throwing shoulder, was 0-for-2 with a walk. He also made his 13th error and third in 19 games with St. Louis when he dropped a throw on a forceout in the third.