Oct 10, 2013 By John Perrotto for The 2 min read

ST. LOUIS — Pedro Alvarez drove in the Pirates’ only run Wednesday night as their season ended with a 6-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the National League Division at Busch Stadium.

It was quite fitting that the slugging third baseman would have the lone RBI.

Alvarez drove in a run in each of the Pirates’ six postseason games. He also became the first player in major-league history to drive in a run in each of the first six postseason games of his career.

Alvarez went 6-for-17 (.353) in the NLDS with three home runs and six RBIs. Alvarez tied for the team lead in hits with right fielder Marlon Byrd, who was 6-for-18 (.333), and first baseman Justin Morneau, who was 6-for-20 (.300).

Starling Marte hit the Pirates’ only other home run in the series. It was his only hit of the series (1-for-19)

Pirates second baseman Neil Walker finished a miserable series by going 0-for-3 with a walk. He went 0-for-19 with two walks.

nThe Pirates bullpen finally showed cracks in Game 5 as Justin Wilson gave up one run in one inning and Mark Melancon surrendered three runs in 2/3 of an innings when the Cardinals pulled away after rookie starter Gerrit Cole held them to two runs in five innings.

Prior to Wednesday, the relievers had allowed only one run in 14 2/3 innings in the postseason.