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PITTSBURGH -- Chad Kuhl could tell early he was off. The proof was out there in the open as the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie spent two innings against St. Louis on Monday watching his pitches miss the strike zone completely or get sent to the outer reaches of PNC Park.Just one of those games, Kuhl said. I know Ive had bullpens like that. Its part of being human. Youre not a robot. Just missing a lot.Same goes for his struggling team.Kuhl gave up three runs before giving way to four relievers who couldnt keep the Cardinals in check and the Pirates saw their losing streak hit seven in a 12-6 loss.A week ago Pittsburgh was well within striking distance of St. Louis for a playoff spot. Now the Pirates find themselves 4 1/2 games behind the Cardinals after dropping below .500 (67-68) for the first time since July 2. Pittsburgh has been outscored 47-22 during its longest skid in two years.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. Every day is a new day, a new start.Even if its felt a little too much like Groundhog Day of late. St. Louis pounded out 14 hits -- eight for extra bases -- against five pitchers and wasted little time getting to Kuhl (3-3), who has been steady if not spectacular since joining the rotation full-time a month ago. He was pulled after throwing just 30 of his 58 pitches for strikes in the shortest outing of his brief career.I think you saw a young man battling fatigue out there, manager Clint Hurdle said. He didnt have a lot.Andrew McCutchen hit his 20th homer of the season for Pittsburgh and Adam Frazier added a solo shot but by then it was far too late.Guys are showing up and playing, Hurdle said. Sometimes you just dont play as well as you need to play to win a game.Adam Wainwright drove in three runs and survived five occasionally bumpy innings to pick up his first victory since mid-July.Wainwright hit an RBI-double off Kuhl 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. Wainwright (10-8) allowed four runs and struck out five as his ERA rose to 4.61. 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.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.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.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.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: Piscotty left in the fifth inning after being hit in the wrist with a pitch but manager Mike Matheny said X-rays were negative. ... RHP Mike Leake will be ready to return on Wednesday after being out since Aug. 22 due to a bout with shingles.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. Shelby Harris Jersey . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. Jamal Carter Jersey . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. http://www.cheapbroncosjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-devontae-booker-jersey . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. Emmanuel Sanders Jersey . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. Connor McGovern Jersey . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. LONDON -- Like the patch of scorched earth around the baselines of Centre Court, Roger Federers nearly 35-year-old body isnt quite what it used to be.Thirteen years ago, he won his first Grand Slam singles title here at the All England Club, and then, nine years later, his most recent. In the four years since, Federers has become increasingly fragile, at times even brittle, despite reaching the final here the past two years.With a berth in Fridays semifinals (8 a.m. ET on ESPN/WatchESPN) secure after a soaring two-sets-to-love comeback against Marin Cilic, its easy to forget that Federer is coming off his first missed major since 1999. He underwent knee surgery in February, a career first, and an uncooperative back forced him to sit out Roland Garros.Against Cilic, the No. 3 seed somehow got better as the match, his first five-setter in nearly two years, progressed. In typical Federer fashion, he was fascinated by the challenge.What I like about being in a fifth set is you actually get really tested to see where is your fitness, where is your mind at, Federer said afterward. Can your shoulder, your back, your legs -- can they sustain 3 hours, 17 [minutes] of just hitting big serves, running, being explosive.Can it handle it? Thats why I was very intrigued, pushing myself a lot in the fifth to get over the finish line because I was feeling as good at the end as I was in the beginning. That gives me, I think, a lot of confidence moving forward from here.Forward translates to a date with No. 6 seed Milos Raonic, a classic confrontation between an aging champion and an ascendant, possible future champion. At 25, Raonic is nearly a decade younger and has a big game that is highly conducive to grass. On Wednesday, Raonic dismissed American Sam Querrey, who earlier knocked No. 1 Novak Djokovic out of the tournament to destroy the Serbs dream of a calendar Slam.Raonic, 6-foot-5 with an enormous wingspan, has always had a big serve and forehand. He has 114 aces for the fortnight, tied with John Isner, who lost in the third round, for most in the tournament. Federer, by comparison, is at 65.Since Raonic brought John McEnroe into his coaching circle before the French Open, the Canadian has been more aggressive, working his way toward the net when he can. Some here have made comparisons to Pete Sampras.That was a part of the motivation to bring [McEnroe] along to help, was too improve that aspect of how much I can implement it in my game and how to use it and what the right moments are, Raonic said.ddddddddddddTwo years ago here, Federer drilled Raonic in a drama-free 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 semifinal. But earlier this year in Brisbane, Australia, Raonic won by the same count but in two sets.I look forward to it a lot, Raonic said. Definitely a great opportunity. Two years have passed since I played him here in the semifinals. Im happy that I have another shot at him. One thing, Ill probably look at that one from the beginning of this year, what I did well. Probably from the mental side, Ill look at what I wouldnt want to repeat from two years ago.Raonic insisted he is now better-equipped to win the Grand Slam that many have predicted for him.Definitely mentally, physically, he said. I think from every aspect, Ive improved. I know how to sort of turn things around to get them on my terms. And then when things arent going well, I know what things to look for to change.I came here with a simple goal for this tournament. I think everybody on my team has that same objective. I think thats why John was willing to join, for that same goal.That goal is to win the tournament. Federer, of course, is thinking the same thing.It was fitting that the signature win over Cilic was Federers 307th in a Grand Slam singles match. That would be one more than Martina Navratilovas total of 306, the previous record for Grand Slam victories.Funny, people were rubbing it in my face on Twitter and stuff, the 18-time Grand Slam champion Navratilova said Wednesday. I didnt even know what the number was until I saw all that. Now its a different measuring stick. Slams get all the glory.The important records to me now are nine Wimbledon titles, 74 matches in row, 80 tournaments winning singles and doubles same event.Federers not quite there, yet, but eight Wimbledon titles would be a mens record.Today was epic, Federer said, understandably sounding a bit giddy. Probably going to look back at this as being a great, great match that