Cardinals 9, Pirates 1: Lance Lynn allowed one run in seven innings and Carlos Beltran homered twice as host St. Louis won its fourth straight.

Lynn (4-0) let up two hits and struck out nine to win his ninth straight decision dating back to September. Beltran had a solo shot in the first and a two-run blast in the fifth that made it 5-0 and gave him five home runs in his last eight games.

Matt Carpenter homered ahead of Beltran to begin the first and after Matt Holliday singled, Pirates starter Jonathan Sanchez (0-3) hit cleanup hitter Allen Craig with a pitch, promptly getting ejected along with manager Clint Hurdle.

Sanchez was charged with two runs without recording an out as his ERA rose to 12.71 through four starts.

Craig had an RBI single in the third and a two-run single in the eighth that capped a four-run rally. Pedro Alvarez accounted for the Pittsburgh offense with a sacrifice fly in the sixth but grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the eighth.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Lynn has 31 strikeouts in 25 innings over his last four starts. ... Alvarez has eight of his nine RBIs in his last nine games. ... Sanchez has surrendered 21 hits, eight walks and two hit batters in 11 1/3 innings.