Andrew McCutchen’s two-run homer capped a five-run fifth inning against struggling Adam Wainwright, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Wainwright remained stuck on 198 career wins a day after accruing his 18th year of major league service time. He is 0-8 with a 12.56 ERA in nine starts since his last victory on June 17 against the New York Mets.

Wainwright retired the side in order in the first three innings before Ji Hwan Bae walked to lead off the fourth and scored on Connor Joe’s two-out single. The Pirates increased their lead to 6-1 with the five-run fifth that included a run-scoring groundout by Bae, a two-run double by Bryan Reynolds and McCutchen’s homer into the left-field bleachers, the 299th of his career.

The Cardinals lost for the sixth time in seven games and fell 2 1/2 games behind the fourth-place Pirates in the NL Central. St. Louis hasn’t finished in last place since 1990, while Pittsburgh has done so each of the last four seasons.

Wainwright (3-9) was charged with six runs in 4 2/3 innings. He gave up seven hits, struck out three and walked one.

Acquired from the Cardinals last season, Johan Oviedo (7-13) beat his old team for the first time in four tries. He allowed one run and four hits in five innings with five strikeouts and one walk.

David Bednar worked a scoreless ninth for his 27th save in 30 opportunities.

The Cardinals’ lone run off Oviedo came when Richie Palacios led off the fifth inning with his first career home run. A night earlier, Palacios’ brother, Pirates outfielder Joshua Palacios, went deep in their first-ever meeting in the major leagues.

Contreras doubled in a run in the sixth and Alec Burleson’s RBI single in the seventh drew the Cardinals within 6-3.

UP NEXT

LHP Zack Thompson (2-5, 3.90 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cardinals on Wednesday as they try to avoid a three-game sweep. RHP Luis Ortiz (2-3, 4.86) will start for the Pirates after joining the team Tuesday from Triple-A Indianapolis.