Pirates Still a Problem for the Cardinals, 4-2

One of the big reasons why the St. Louis Cardinals may not win the National League East title was staring them in the face Monday night.

The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cardinals, 4-2, for their 11th victory in 16 games against St. Louis this season.

The Cardinals, however, remained four games behind the Cubs, who also lost.

“You’ve got to give the Cubs credit,” St. Louis Manager Whitey Herzog said. “They’ve played well and they beat the Pirates, which is something we haven’t done.”

Barry Bonds hit a two-run homer, and Benny Distefano and Mike LaValliere hit consecutive solo home runs for the Pirates.

The 5-11 record against Pittsburgh is the Cardinals’ worst against any team.

Jose DeLeon (16-12) lost for the first time since Aug. 10. DeLeon had won five consecutive decisions. He allowed four earned runs, all on home runs, in five innings. He had allowed four earned runs in his last 37 2/3 innings entering Monday’s game.

“He got two outs in that (second) inning, and then he gets the fastball up,” Herzog said.

Distefano and LaValliere homered over the right-field wall in the second. It was the second of the season for each, who have combined for 15 career home runs.

Bonds’ homer in the fifth was his 19th and scored Jose Lind, who had singled to start the inning.

Neal Heaton (6-7) won his fifth consecutive decision and held the Cardinals to one run in five innings. He is 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in five starts since rejoining the rotation on Sept. 5.

“I didn’t have real good command tonight, but I pitched good enough to win,” Heaton said. “The big thing was the bullpen did a great job.”

St. Louis scored in the fifth when Vince Coleman walked, stole second and scored on Pedro Guerrero’s single. It was Guerrero’s 115th run batted in.