PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates used three right fielders, including two had never played the outfield in a major league game before, and five relief pitchers. Somehow, all the manoeuvring by manager Clint Hurdle paid off. Pedro Alvarez singled in the go-ahead run and the Pirates won their season-high fourth straight game Saturday night, 4-3 over the St. Louis Cardinals. "We drew a lot of stuff up in the dirt," Hurdle said. "Everybody showed up, though, and did what they were supposed to do and it ended up being a really gritty win for us." The Pirates were short two outfielders as centre fielder Andrew McCutchen missed a game for the first time this season because of soreness in his left foot and right fielder Travis Snider was serving the second game of a two-game suspension from for his part in an April 20 brawl with the Milwaukee Brewers. Starling Marte, normally the left fielder who was starting in centre in place of McCutchen, left the game for pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez in bottom of the fourth inning because of lower back stiffness. Josh Harrison, who started in right field, moved to left and Sanchez took over in right for his first outfield action of his seven-year career. Hurdle then decided to move shortstop Jordy Mercer to right field in the eighth inning with the Pirates holding on to a 4-3 lead. Backup shortstop Clint Barmes replaced Mercer, who played in the outfield for the first time in his three-year career. Neither Sanchez nor Mercer had a ball hit their way. "We had talked about the possibility (on Friday), so Gaby was prepared," Hurdle said. "Jordys athletic and he has a good arm. "I figured he could catch the ball and maybe throw someone out if he had to." Alvarezs hit capped a four-run fourth inning against Lance Lynn (4-2) that helped the Pirates wipe out a 3-0 deficit. Harrison and Ike Davis each had two hits for the Pirates, who have won 11 of their last 14 games against the Cardinals in Pittsburgh. Harrison also hit an RBI single in the fourth. Jared Hughes (2-1) retired all four batters he faced in relief of starter Edinson Volquez, including getting Matt Adams to ground out with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning and preserve a one-run lead. Mark Melancon earned his fourth save with a scoreless ninth, striking out Allen Craig with runners on first and second for the final out. Hughes and Melancon combined with Justin Wilson, Bryan Morris and Tony Watson for 4 1-3 scoreless relief innings. "Its a tough spot with the bases loaded, but all Im thinking is to keep the ball down and let my fielders make a play and thats exactly what happened," Hughes said. Lynn allowed four runs in six innings and is winless in four starts since winning his first four starts of the season. He gave up nine hits and two walks while striking out five as the Cardinals dropped to 3-5 on their nine-game road trip. Volquez and Jose Tabata hit consecutive run-scoring groundouts in the fourth inning before Harrison and Alvarez followed with RBI singles. "What can I do? I gave up a bunch on infield singles," Lynn said. "Its not like I was giving up double-double-double-double. I was giving up infield singles -- thats just really bad luck, and Ive had those games and Ive had nights when Ive given up double-double-double and given up three runs. "As a pitcher youd much rather give up double-double-double because singles (are upsetting)." NOTES: St. Louis C Yadier Molina, who is 0 for 12 in his last four games, got a day off. ... Pirates LHP Wandy Rodriguez will be activated from the disabled list and start Thursday at Milwaukee. He has been out with right knee inflammation since April 20. ... Cardinals LHP Jaime Garcia will make his next rehab start Monday for Triple-A Memphis on Monday after it was originally announced he would pitch for Double-A Springfield on Sunday. Garcia has been on the DL all season while recovering from shoulder surgery. ... The three-game series ends Sunday night with St. Louis RHP Shelby Miller (4-2, 3.20) facing RHP Charlie Morton (0-4, 3.45). It will mark the first time ESPN has televised a Sunday night game from Pittsburgh since 1996. Calvin Schiraldi Jersey . His actions are much louder on the Fenway Park mound. De La Rosa had another strong home start, going seven solid innings to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night. J. D. Davis Jersey . - Even with a new coach, the Denver Nuggets still love to push the basketball. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/870l-mike-bordick-jersey-mets.html . Nix is a career .218 hitter in 425 games over six seasons. The 31-year-old right-handed hitter batted .270 with a homer this spring for Tampa Bay. Lee Mazzilli Jersey . The Boston Celtics hadnt played since the All-Star break. So the Suns 100-94 victory over Boston Wednesday night was an uphill affair, with Phoenix relying on balance rather than its trademark high energy. Marcus Stroman Jersey . Hamelin overcame a weak start to win bronze in the 500-metre race behind winner Wu Dajing of China and American J.R. Celski on Saturday at the world short track speed skating championship.Fernando Alonso says McLarens form has proved a nice surprise at the Australian GP after the team secured arguably their most convincing qualifying result since reuniting with Honda. McLaren arrived in Melbourne amid low-key expectations but the MP4-31 ran in and around the top 10 in practice, before Alonso and Jenson Button qualified 12th and 13th - the teams best joint grid slots in the dry since last Mays Monaco GP.While the car was still 1.5 seconds adrift of Mercedes in Q2, McLarens best lap was a massive five seconds quicker than they managed in qualifying at Albert Park last year when F1s once dominant force propped up the grid. They were also within four tenths of a second of Force India, who finished four places above them in last years Constructors Championship.Alonso described the new car as an obvious step forward from the end of last season, when he experienced a series of troubled races to cap a forgettable year.Im happy with the car and Im enjoying the weekend. I was able to enjoy driving in free practice, a trouble-free weekend for us so far, he said. McLarens Jenson Button thinks that the new qualification system hasnt changed anything but thinks the team are starting the season in a better position It was a very positive step for us and coming back from last year [when] in Mexico I was not able to participate in the race because we had a problem on the formation lap, in Brazil I was in that [deck] chair more time than on the track, and then in Abu Dhabi I started at the back and ran alone all the race.So I came here in Q1 I was third with two sets of supersofts, but in Q2 with the first attempt with everybody on new tyres at the same time I was 10th, 1.dddddddddddd2 seconds off the Mercedes. So definitely a nice surprise.Alonso said that the team should be happy with their winters work, but is aware they are still a long way from achieving their ultimate ambitions.We came out from Barcelona not knowing how the performance was with this car and we were happy and surprised, but still a long way to go, Alonso stressed. We dont want to be 12th and 13th, we want to be first and second, and for that its the biggest step of all when you need to find the last step of performance.But a starting point that makes us happy and proud of the team of how they developed the car over the winter. Ted Kravitz brings you all the latest news from qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix The first race of the 2016 F1 season, the Australian GP, is exclusively live on Sky Sports F1. The race in Melbourne starts at 5am on Sunday. Every race live in 2016 Sky Sports F1 brings you every race live in 2016. Fast and easy online upgrade - click here. Also See: F1s new qualy format slammed Whens the Australian GP on Sky? ' ' ' it. ' ' '