PITTSBURGH -- Cardinals rookie Dylan Carlson's three-run home run capped a six-run outburst in the sixth inning against the mistake-prone Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night, helping lift St. Louis to a 7-2 victory and a doubleheader sweep.
The Cardinals took the opener 6-5 behind home runs from Kolten Wong and Tyler O'Neill to overcome four errors.
St. Louis, playing its third doubleheader in five days, moved to .500 (24-24) with the win to remain in the mix for a playoff spot.
Andrew Miller (1-1) struck out the side in the top of the sixth to earn the win when the Pirates -- playing as the road team on the scoreboard because the game served as a makeup for a postponement earlier in the season due to a covid-19 outbreak with the Cardinals -- self-destructed in the bottom of the inning.
Chad Kuhl (1-3) cruised through five innings but things fell apart in the sixth. Kuhl walked Tommy Edman leading off the inning and Paul Goldschmidt reached on catcher's interference. Brad Miller then walked on four pitches to load the bases, chasing Kuhl.
Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley picked up the first save of his career in Game 1, recording the final two outs in the seventh that featured a review of the pitch sequence to Kevin Newman after plate ump Jordan Baker apparently lost track of the count.
NATIONALS 5-3, MARLINS 0-14 Brian Anderson (Arkansas Razorbacks) tied a franchise record with three home runs and drove in seven runs to help Miami earn a doubleheader split with visiting Washington. Anderson's third home run was a three-run shot in the sixth inning off infielder Brock Holt. He also had home runs leading off the second inning and hit a three-run shot in the fifth.
DODGERS 15, ROCKIES 6 Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts and Gavin Lux hit home runs as visiting Los Angeles set a season high for runs to romp past Colorado.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
INDIANS 1, TIGERS 0 Zach Plesac pitched impressively into the eighth inning, and Brad Hand worked out of a jam in the ninth to send Cleveland to a victory over Detroit. Francisco Lindor drove in the game's only run with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly.
RAYS 2, ORIOLES 1 Tyler Glasnow struck out 10 over five innings to help Tampa Bay beat Baltimore. Glasnow (4-1) allowed 1 run, 4 hits and 2 walks.
ANGELS 6, RANGERS 2 Albert Pujols hit two home runs to pass Willie Mays for fifth place on the career home run list as host Los Angeles beat Texas. Pujols hit No. 661 in the fifth inning to break the tie with Mays, then connected again in his next at-bat.
YANKEES 6, RED SOX 5 (12) DJ LeMahieu hit an RBI double in the top of the 12th inning to score Aaron Hicks, who started the inning as the designated runner at second base, to give visiting New York a victory over Boston.
INTERLEAGUE
PHILLIES 7-8, BLUE JAYS 0-7 Bryce Harper hit a game-tying two-run double and scored the go-ahead run on an error following Alec Bohn's infield single, helping host Philadelphia ralley to beat Toronto and earn its first doubleheader sweep in eight years. Harper hit his third home run in two games in the opener to ignite a five-run fifth inning against Robbie Ray.
REDS 7, WHITE SOX 1 Slumping Jesse Winker hit a three-run home run -- one of four off White Sox starter Jonathan Stiever -- and host Cincinnati extended its surge into playoff contention with its season-high sixth victory in a row.
CUBS 1, TWINS 0 Kyle Hendricks tossed eight innings of three-hit shutout ball and Wilson Contreras hit an RBI single for host Chicago's only run to edge Minnesota for its fifth consecutive victory.
DIAMONDBACKS 6, ASTROS 3 Kole Calhoun hit two home runs to lead visiting Arizona over former teammate Zack Greinke and Houston.
BREWERS 9, ROYALS 5 Jacob Nottingham hit a grand slam and Orlando Arcia added a three-run shot as host Milwaukee rallied from an early four-run deficit to beat Kansas City.
Friday’s games
NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis 6-7, Pittsburgh 5-2
Washington 5-3, Miami 0-14
Atlanta 15, NY Mets 2
LA Dodgers 15, Colorado 6
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 2, Baltimore 1
Cleveland 1, Detroit 0
LA Angels 6, Texas 2
NY Yankees 6, Boston 5 (12)
INTERLEAGUE
Philadelphia 7-8, Toronto 0-7
Cincinnati 7, Chicago White Sox 1
Chicago Cubs 1, Minnesota 0
Arizona 6, Houston 3
Milwaukee 9, Kansas City 5
San Diego at Seattle, (n)
San Francisco at Oakland, (n)