PITTSBURGH -- Manager Mike Matheny admitted the St. Louis Cardinals losing streak was starting to get to him. "Its something you go to sleep thinking about and you wake up thinking about it and wonder what that sick feeling in your stomach is when you get up," Matheny said. "You realize its because we havent been doing what were supposed to do, what were paid to do, and thats win ballgames." The Cardinals ended their season-worst seven-game skid Thursday night and did so in emphatic fashion, averting a five-game sweep by routing the Pirates 13-0 in a matchup between the NLs top two teams. St. Louis began the series with a 2 1/2-game lead in the NL Central, but left with the Pirates ahead by 1 1/2 games. The Cardinals avoided their first sweep in a set of at least five games since 1916, when the New York Giants took all six games. Pittsburgh had won the previous four games at PNC Park by a combined score of 36-10. "We had kept the cat in the bag for four games," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "Tonight, we let it out." Joe Kelly (2-3) pitched six scoreless innings and had two hits. Tony Cruz added three hits, including a two-run double during an eight-run seventh inning. Kelly allowed three hits while walking four and striking out four. Seth Maness, Michael Blazek and Edward Mujica pitched one inning each to complete the five-hitter. "It felt good," Kelly said. "The whole time going out there I was just trying to pitch as best as I could. I just wanted to compete my butt off and try as hard as I could to help us get that win." After the Cardinals failed to acquire a replacement for injured All-Star catcher Yadier Molina prior to Wednesdays non-waiver trading deadline, Cruz figures to get the majority of starts behind the plate. He had started just 11 games this season until Molina went on the disabled list Wednesday with a sprained right knee. Carlos Beltran, Allen Craig, Matt Holliday and David Freese also had two of St. Louis 17 hits. Craig came into the game in a 1-for-27 slump, and he had a two-run double in the seventh. Charlie Morton (3-3) struggled against the Cardinals again, giving up five runs and 10 hits in six innings. He is 2-8 in his career against St. Louis. "I made some bad pitches, some pitches that I could executed better and other that I wasnt smart about," Morton said. "Im not saying they wouldnt have scored any runs, but I could gone about it better." Morton threw a wild pitch that made it 1-0 in the second. St. Louis scored three times in the fourth as Jon Jay was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Cruz grounded into a double play and Pete Kozma had an RBI single. Beltran doubled in a run in the sixth before the Cardinals broke the game open an inning later. "Today was a good sign for our team," Craig said. "There was no panic. We brought a lot of energy. You hate to go into lulls like we did because weve played so well all season long but I think this game should get us going again." NOTES: CF Starling Marte had two of Pittsburghs five hits. He has a hit in all 12 career games against the Cardinals. ... Pittsburgh C Russell Martin sat out the game with a sore left knee. ... St. Louis opens a three-game series Friday night at Cincinnati with RHP Shelby Miller (10-7, 2.79) facing RHP Bronson Arroyo (9-8, 3.26). ... RHP Gerrit Cole (5-4, 3.56) will pitch for Pittsburgh on Friday night in the first game of a three-game series against Colorados Jhoulys Chacin (9-5, 3.54).New York Jets Throwback Jersey . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Sam Darnold Jets Jersey . Now, correct me if Im wrong but I saw one official distinctly pointing at the net indicating a good goal but after an inconclusive review they overturned the goal. Shouldnt the ruling on the ice (good goal) stand after an inconclusive review? Why was this overturned? James Veaudry Pembroke, ON -- Hey Kerry, Youll get a lot of these, but why was the Montreal goal against Nashville Saturday night overturned? Eller puts the puck on net and the on ice ruling from the ref behind the net is a Montreal goal. http://www.jetsofficialsshop.com/jamal-adams-jersey.html . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Jamal Adams Jersey Cheap . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. Official New York Jets Store . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from.LAS VEGAS -- Erik Durham scored 20 points and Jacksonville State held Cal State Fullerton to 14 points in the second half for a 61-38 win at the Global Sports Classic on Friday.Norbertas Giga added 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, with Christian Cunningham matching his career high with 12 rebounds for the Gamecocks (3-3), who had a 42-26 advantage on the boards.Jacksonville State led 28-24 at halftime and was only up 40-31 midway through the second half. Duurham, who had four of his five 3-pointers in the second half, hit one at 9:50 to start a 21-7 game-closing run.ddddddddddddTre Collins led the Titans (2-3) with 11 points. Fullerton shot 26 percent (10 of 39), making just 4 of 15 3-pointers and grabbing just four offensive rebounds. The Titans only had nine rebounds in the second half. ' ' '