PITTSBURGH -- Neil Walker wasnt expecting to have a big offensive game Friday night, especially with Michael Wacha pitching for the St. New Balance Ofertas España . Louis Cardinals. The last time Wacha started at PNC Park was in the Game 4 of last years National League Division Series and he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in beating the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yet the hot-hitting Walker had three hits, including a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning, and drove in four runs to help the Pirates beat the Cardinals 6-4. "Wacha is so good, as we found out last year," said Walker, who has reached base in 22 of his last 40 plate appearances. "He throws hard and youve got to shorten up your swing and put the ball in play. Thats the best way to approach him because youre usually not going to do too much against him." While Walkers first two hits were against Wacha, his seventh homer came off Carlos Martinez (0-2) and rallied the Pirates from a 4-3 deficit for their third straight victory. Jordy Mercer and pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez led off the inning with singles and were bunted up a base by Jose Tabata before Walker hit a drive into the right-field stands. "Martinez is as tough as Wacha, but he hung a slider and I was able to put a good swing on it," Walker said. "I was surprised. The guy has such great stuff that youre not thinking that youre going to hit a home run in that situation. It was huge." Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said it didnt appear that Martinez got the home run pitch "where he wanted it." Mercer had three of the Pirates 12 hits, while Ike Davis, who hit a two-run double in the first inning to open the scoring, and Tabata had two hits apiece. Pittsburgh beat St. Louis for the 10th time in 13 games at home. Mercers performance was a welcome development for the Pirates and their shortstop, who is hitting just .187. "Ive been putting in a lot of time in the batting cage, trying to figure things out and its nice to have some results because I feel confident now when I step in the batters box," Mercer said. "Confidence is such a big part of hitting." St. Louis had gone ahead earlier in the seventh on Jhonny Peraltas solo home run, his eighth. Allen Craigs three-run home run, his fourth, accounted for the Cardinals other runs. Peralta and Craig had two hits apiece in the Cardinals second loss in five games. Justin Wilson (1-0) struck out the only batter he faced, Matt Adams, to end the top of the seventh. Mark Melancon, filling as the closer for injured Jason Grilli, pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save. Both starting pitchers worked five innings and had uneven performances. Pittsburghs Francisco Liriano allowed three runs, five hits and four walks while striking out five, while Wacha gave up three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. Liriano has gone a career-long 11 regular-season starts without a win since beating the Texas Rangers last Sept. 10. Wacha is winless in his last five starts. NOTES: The game was delayed 25 minutes in the top of the fourth inning because of rain. . Pirates OF Travis Sniders appeal of his two-game suspension for his actions in an April 20 brawl were upheld and he began serving his penalty Friday night. . The Cardinals recalled OF Joey Butler from Triple-A Memphis and optioned OF Randal Grichuk to the same club. . Pittsburgh recalled INF Brent Morel from Triple-A Indianapolis. They had optioned RHP Phil Irwin to Indianapolis on Thursday. . Grilli threw from the top of the mound Friday for the first time since April 21 when the closer went on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. . Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn (4-1, 3.51) will start Saturday night against RHP Edinson Volquez (1-3, 4.19). New Balance Outlet España . With timely hitting and good pitching, the Marlins are one win away from sweeping the slumping Houston Astros. New Balance Baratas España . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. http://www.newbalancebaratas.es/ . The former Edmonton Oilers defenceman was with the St. Louis Blues in training camp on a professional tryout. Whitney, 30, had four goals and 13 points in 34 games with the Oilers last season. CLEVELAND -- Dont ask Maurice Cheeks why his team is so successful away from home. The Detroit Pistons coach cant explain it. "I dont have any theories why that is," he said. "I just dont know." Josh Smith scored 25 points, Brandon Jennings added 21 and the Pistons continued their domimant play on the road with a 115-92 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. The Pistons have won seven of their last eight away from home, including victories against defending NBA champion Miami and Indiana, which has the best record in the Eastern Conference. While Cheeks cant come up with a reason, reserve guard Chauncey Billups, a veteran of 17 seasons, managed to put his finger on something. "On the road, all we have is us," he said. "We know we have to stick together when their crowds get going and they go on runs." The Pistons went on plenty of runs in their latest road success. Detroit went ahead for good midway through the first quarter and built a 21-point lead late in the first half. The margin reached 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Pistons rolled to their biggest win of the season. Jennings also had 13 assists for Detroit, which placed seven players in double figures. Kyrie Irving scored 21 points for Cleveland, which has lost four of five. "We got our butts handed to us tonight," said forward Tristan Thompson. The Cavaliers had shown signs of progress earlier this month, winning three straight and five of six. Cleveland has struggled since, dropping close games to Miami and Portland and losing by 16 points to a short-handed Chicago team on Saturday. "Our sense of urgency the last two ballgames has been non-existent," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. Cavaliers centre Andrew Bynum was scoreless in 22 minutes, missing all 11 shots from the field and getting seven rebounds. Detroit is 6-10 on its own court and was coming off home losses to Charlotte and Houston, but took control early. Smith scored 10 points in the first quarter when Detroit shot 56 per cent. Smith hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions late in the second quarter that stretched the lead to 56-35. The Pistons were 22 of 41 from the field in the first half and took a 58-40 lead to tthe locker room. Comprar New Balance Rebajas. Cleveland cut the lead to 10 points in the third quarter, but three baskets by Jennings, including two 3-pointers, five points by Smith and dunks by Andre Drummond on consecutive fast breaks extended the lead back to 89-64. Smith was 10 of 18 from the field and had eight rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes. "Working in the paint is the strength in our game, so Im making a conscious effort to not settle for shots," Smith said. "Im used to being a little selfish, but I can be a distributor when other guys get hot." Jennings directed the offence with 13 assists. Drummond had 14 points and 11 rebounds while Greg Monroe scored 11 points and had 11 rebounds. Reserves from both teams played most of the fourth quarter. Thompson scored 17 points for the Cavaliers. Cleveland played without guard Dion Waiters, the teams second-leading scorer, for the third straight game because of tendinitis in his right wrist. Brown is still searching for answers to get his team to play with more consistency. The loss was Clevelands biggest at home since a 125-90 defeat against San Antonio on April 3, 2012. "I dont know if we mentally understand what it takes to keep doing this every time we step out on the floor," he said. "Were getting hit in the mouth right now and Im interested to see if we can respond the right way." The Pistons have won seven in a row against the Cavaliers, including four straight in Cleveland. Cheeks coached his 600th career game. He has also coached for Portland and Philadelphia. NOTES: Drummond was given a flagrant foul for knocking Thompson to the floor while the Cavaliers forward drove in the lane in the first quarter. ... The Cavaliers were hit with three delay-of-game warnings in the first quarter, resulting in two technical fouls. ... Cavaliers rookie F Anthony Bennett -- the No. 1 overall pick in the draft -- returned after missing two games with the flu. He missed three shots and committed a turnover in six first quarter minutes. Bennett ended the game with seven points. ... Cleveland reserve C Tyler Zeller scored a season-high 13 points, all in the fourth quarter. ... Drummond recorded his 21st double-double of the season. ' ' '