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ST. LOUIS -- Shelby Miller gave himself a boost with his bat. The rookie pitcher hit his first career home run and pitched six sharp innings, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-8 Thursday night. "I havent hit a home run since high school, at least in a game," said Miller, whose 1.91 earned run average continues to lead the National League. "It was neat. It will be something I remember for sure. Sometimes you get lucky." Miller (7-3) allowed two runs and six hits. He struck out nine and walked none. Arizona scored three times in the ninth, and Edward Mujica got the last two outs for his 18th save in 18 chances. Matt Adams and Daniel Descalso homered in an eight-run fourth inning off Ian Kennedy. Matt Holliday and Matt Carpenter also connected for the Cardinals. Kennedy (3-4) was tagged for 10 runs and 13 hits in four innings. Kennedy nearly escaped the fourth with giving up just one run, but his throw off on Yadier Molinas comebacker pulled shortstop Didi Gregorius wide of second base. What could have been an inning-ending double play instead led to Adams three-run homer and Descalsos two-run shot. "I think weve made that play and we expect to make that play," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "It didnt happen today and it cost us." Kennedy endured the entire inning and threw 50 pitches. He had 99 total, only 60 for strikes. He said typically hell ask his middle infielders which one will cover the bag in a situation like that before he makes a pitch. He failed to do so and when he saw second baseman Cliff Pennington break toward the bag his instinct was to throw it to him until Gregorius took charge. By then, Kennedy double clutched and threw wide. "That whole sequence. It was perfect," he said. "I was trying to get a double play in that situation. It would have been a lot different if I was able to turn. Thats just my fault. I should have known who covered the bag just before that pitch." The Cardinals hit five homers in a game for the first time since last July 27. The previous time they did it at home was June 24, 2005, at the former Busch Stadium. David Freese extended his career-best hitting streak to 16 games for St. Louis. Descalso scored twice in the big fourth and finished with three hits, including a double. The first five batters in the St. Louis starting lineup all got two hits, as did Miller. Manager Mike Matheny liked what he saw from Miller at the plate. He hopes that the pitcher doesnt let it change his approach. ""Youll take any runs you can get, but we hope he doesnt go up there trying to do that every time," Matheny said. The Cardinals greeted reliever Matt Reynolds with back-to-back home runs from Miller and Carpenter to open the fifth and stretch their lead to 12-2. Arizona scored twice in the first on an RBI groundout by Paul Goldschmidt and a single by Miguel Montero. "I have a tendency of letting up in the first inning," Miller said. "I have got to figure out a way to be as aggressive like I am in the middle of the game and toward the end, in the first couple of innings. I just wasnt doing it early on." Gerardo Parra had three hits, including an RBI single in a three-run seventh for Arizona. The Diamondbacks scored three more in the ninth when rookie Keith Butler gave up a hit to Pennington and a double to Wil Nieves before walking three consecutive batters. Notes: The Cardinals have gone 9-0-3 in their past 12 series. ... Goldschmidt has an RBI in six consecutive games. ... Carpenter extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games. Allen Craig has a 10-game streak. ... Miller was 2 for 25 in his career at the plate entering the game. He singled in the second for his first hit of the season. ... Cardinals LHP Kevin Siegrist came in the seventh to make his major league debut after being recalled from Triple-A Louisville earlier Thursday. He struck out four in 1 2-3 innings, allowing one hit.Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. Pittsburgh Penguins Shirts . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Penguins Jerseys China . At a Manhattan federal court hearing, attorney Jordan Siev said his law office has gotten more evidence nearly every day to support its lawsuit accusing MLB and Selig of going on a "witch hunt" to ruin Rodriguezs reputation and career. He said the defendants went "way over the line. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball.CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Indians fans who want to express their gratitude to Ryan Merritt for pitching the team to the World Series might have to say thanks with a cutting board, a pair of stainless steel kitchen shears or a Houdini Deluxe bottle opener. They dont have a lot of options left.Merritt, 24, etched his name in franchise lore last week when he threw 4 1/3 shutout innings in Clevelands 3-0 American League Championship Series-clinching victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Amid reports that Merritt is engaged to be married, grateful Cleveland fans scoped out his wedding registry online and rushed to buy gifts for him and Sarah Brushaber, his fiancée.Its been crazy, Merritt said Monday during World Series media availability. Everybody got to it quick. One person found it and sent it out there, and once it hits the media, everyone found out. Im thinking its a joke at first. But the next thing you know, (the items) are dropping like crazy.There might be one item left -- like bedsheets or something. I think its been pretty much cleared.The couples registry at Pottery Barn and Target has a few items still available, but Merritt is correct when he says the remaining pickings are slim. Even Merritts Cleveland coaches and teammates who want to contribute have been left with few choices.I was messing around with my parents the other night and we said, Lets go check it out, said Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway. I think there were a couple of pans you can buy, and that was it.Merritt, a former 16th round draft pick out of McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas, is a finesse pitcher who relies on command and control while tthrowing a fastball in the upper-80s.ddddddddddddHes kept a relatively low profile throughout the minor leagues, but he held a powerful Toronto lineup to two singles before giving way to the bullpen in the pennant clincher at Rogers Centre. Merritt has since discovered how deeply his performance resonated with Indians fans.Before that game, I could walk down the streets of Cleveland and nobody was going to recognize me, he said. Its different now. Once in a while somebody will recognize me, and its neat. Its fun. Its the kind of thing you think about as a kid -- people knowing your name like that.Once the postseason ends, Merritt will be free to help with the wedding planning. His marriage to Brushaber, a Minnesota native, is scheduled for Jan. 27 in Rochester, Minnesot. Theyre fully aware that the weather conditions might not be optimal, but it was the best they could do given his schedule as a professional ballplayer.We figured it was the most reasonable date with whats going on in our offseason, Merritt said. Everybody is going to have to bring their winter coats. Its a good thing it will be inside. As for gifts, Callaway has a suggestion for Merritts friends who might be late to the party.Envelopes of cash, he said, laughing.Merritt, who earned the pro-rated portion of the MLB rookie minimum $507,500 salary during his brief time in Cleveland this season, acknowledged that some wedding-goers might have to opt for money as a present.Or Ill just wind up with like six Keurigs or something, he said. ' ' '