setting a then NFL-record with 5,476 yards passing. He also threw for 46 touchdowns in 2011, when the offense he ran piled up an NFL-record 7,474 yards.The Saints prolific QB again led the leagu

PITTSBURGH -- Adam Wainwright is still in search of his best stuff. His bat made sure his best wasnt necessary.The St. Louis ace drove in three runs and survived five occasionally bumpy innings to pick up his first victory since mid-July as the Cardinals drummed the staggering Pittsburgh Pirates 12-6 on Monday.Wainwright hit an RBI-double off Chad Kuhl (3-3) in the second and added a two-run single in the fourth as the Cardinals held on to the second wild card spot in the National League by sending the Pirates to their seventh straight loss.We needed that win, Wainwright said. We need every win that we can get coming down the stretch. Any part that I can play in that is a treat for me, a privilege.Wainwright (10-8) allowed four runs and struck out five as his ERA rose to 4.61 while picking up his first victory since July 16. He hardly needed to be sharp as the Cardinals battered Pittsburghs beleaguered pitching staff. Jedd Gyorko and Matt Adams homered for St. Louis to extend the teams streak of games with at least one home run to a club-record 24.Andrew McCutchen and Adam Frazier hit home runs for the Pirates, who have been outscored 47-22 during their current slide. A week ago Pittsburgh was well within striking distance of the Cardinals for a playoff spot but have fallen 4 1/2 games behind St. Louis and dropped below .500 (67-68) for the first time since July 2.Were trying to figure ourselves out and get out of this and get back to playing baseball the way we want to play, shortstop Jordy Mercer said. We just have to keep going.St. Louis pounded out 14 hits -- eight for extra bases -- against five pitchers and wasted little time getting to Kuhl, who has been steady if not spectacular since joining the rotation full-time a month ago.Wainwrights double to the wall in center field put the Cardinals in front and Stephen Piscottys two-run double later in the inning gave Wainwright an early cushion, one he flirted with giving away. Pittsburgh touched him for two runs in the bottom of the inning but Wainwright avoided major damage.I hate giving up runs after we score, Wainwright said. Thats driving me crazy. But what we did do well there is we held them to two. We could have let that inning get away from us, and we didnt.Jeff Locke came on relief of Kuhl in the third and the Cardinals quickly went to work. Kolten Wongs RBI single against him made it 4-2 and Gyorko opened the fourth with a long home run down the left-field line for his 26th of the year.Wainwrights bloop to left later in the inning pushed St. Louis lead to six runs and allowed Wainwright to leave after five innings in which he needed 93 pitches to get 15 outs.He was at 93 pitches, and were in September, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. The first two (innings) were stressful. To me, weve got a lead that we think our bullpen can hold. I guess your greatest argument (for leaving him in) is you want to see him hit again.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: Piscotty left in the fifth inning after being hit in the wrist with a pitch though Matheny said X-rays were negative. ... RHP Mike Leake will return after a bout with the shingles when he starts on Wednesday. ... C Brayan Pena is finally healthy after battling injuries much of the season but the team will not use him to catch a full game.Pirates: C Francisco Cervelli was taken out of the game after the fourth inning with discomfort in his left thumb. ... C Elias Diaz is being evaluated for cellulitis in his left leg and will be re-evaluated on Thursday.UP NEXTCardinals: Rookie Luke Weaver makes his fourth major league start on Tuesday. Weaver is 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA and gave up three runs over six innings in his last start against Milwaukee.Pirates: Veteran Ryan Vogelsong (3-4, 3.56 ERA) will make his ninth start of the season and seventh since returning from the DL on Aug. 4 after missing more than two months while recovering from facial fractures sustained when he was hit by a pitch on May 23. Vogelsong is 3-7 with a 5.75 ERA in 22 appearances against the Cardinals. George Kittle Super Bowl Jersey . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Arik Armstead Super Bowl Jersey . -- Hunter Smith scored the winner with just 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Oshawa Generals edged the host Sarnia Sting 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.authenticsf49erspro.com/Tevin-coleman-49ers-jersey/ .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Dee Ford Super Bowl Jersey . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Jaquiski Tartt Super Bowl Jersey . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. METAIRIE, La. -- Saints quarterback Drew Brees decided against holding out for the lengthy contract extension he coveted and took one for the team.Brees agreed to new contract that keeps him in New Orleans through the 2017 season, and a person familiar with the deal says it guarantees the record-setting QB $44.3 million the next two years.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Wednesday because financial details of the extension had not been announced.The deal also provides the Saints with nearly $13 million in additional spending flexibility under the 2016 salary cap as the team continues to shuffle the roster in advance of Sundays regular season opener at home against Oakland.Earlier this summer, Brees had stated that he believes he can play at an elite level at least another five years.I wanted the contract to reflect that, naturally, and have it be the last contract that I signed, Brees said. But it was in the best interest of the team to make it a little bit shorter. And I think that just made everyone a bit more comfortable and it still put us in a very good position to go out and do the things we need to do to continue to build the team and put us in the best position to succeed.And that to me was the most important thing.The contract runs for five years, starting this season, and includes a $30 million bonus that, for now, can be prorated over that period, reducing the $30 million that Brees old contract would have counted against the Saints salary cap this season down to a little more than $17 million. The deal also has a no-trade clause, but the final three seasons are voidable, meaning the Saints and Brees, who turns 38 in January, will have to revisit the possibility of another extension next year.This allows me to be around here for a bit longer, and Ill be here as long as theyll have me, Brees said. My mindset is always everything happens for a reason and everything will happen the way its supposed to.The Saints should have more flexibility to make moves with Brees extension.Last week, the Saints brought in defensive end Paul Kruger, a pass rushing specialist who was recently released by Cleveland.Then on Wednesday, the Saints agreed to bring back veteran right guard Jahri Evans, who had been released by tthe Saints last winter and signed with Seattle, but did not make the Seahawks final cut.ddddddddddddOn Tuesday, the Saints cut kicker Kai Forbath and brought in rookie Wil Lutz.Brees owns Saints franchise records in virtually every passing category, having thrown for 48,555 yards and 348 touchdowns in 10 seasons with the club, which signed him as a free agent after San Diego decided not to offer Brees an extension and elevate Philip Rivers to starter. He also was named Super Bowl MVP when the Saints 2009 squad won New Orleans only NFL championship.His yards passing total with New Orleans is the most by any NFL quarterback in a 10-year span in league history.Brees had stated this summer that, in an effort to prevent his contract talks from becoming a distraction, that he would break off negotiations before the first game of the regular season. That meant the Saints had to reach an agreement with their star quarterback by this week to lock down Brees beyond this season while gaining the financial flexibility they sought.Brees was about to enter the final season of a five-year, $100 million contract he signed in 2012, one season after setting a then NFL-record with 5,476 yards passing. He also threw for 46 touchdowns in 2011, when the offense he ran piled up an NFL-record 7,474 yards.The Saints prolific QB again led the league in passing last season, but ultimately did not hold out for a contract that would pay him like the NFLs younger, top-tier QBs. In June, for example, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck agreed to an extension worth up to $140 million for the next six seasons, which averages out to about $23.3 million per year.Brees deal comes about six months after coach Sean Payton, who designed the offense that Brees has run, agreed to an extension in New Orleans through 2020. Now the coach and QB tandem will try to make a run at another Super Bowl.Game notes The Saints released third-string QB Garrett Grayson, a 2015 third-round draft choice, but could potentially bring him back as a practice squad player if he clears waivers.---Online: AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '