ST. LOUIS - A pair of rookies helped the St. Louis Cardinals reduce their magic number to four for clinching the NL Central.

Pinch-hitter John Rodriguez' ninth-inning single off Salomon Torres scored Skip Schumacher in a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday night.

"It's big," starter Mark Mulder said. "They're not just getting called up and sitting there, they're getting put in situations where they can succeed."

The Cardinals have two games left on a 10-game homestand, and need a pair of victories and two losses by second-place Houston to clinch at home. They start a four-game series in Chicago Thursday.

St. Louis was outhit 11-6 but improved to 11-3 this season against the last-place Pirates. The Cardinals have won 18 of their last 21 games overall against the Pirates.

"Did we have 11 hits?" Pittsburgh interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "It seems to be a broken record but we did have possibilities."

Schumacher doubled off Torres (4-5) to start the ninth and advanced on a sacrifice. Abraham Nunez was intentionally walked, and Rodriguez followed with a drive over left fielder Jason Bay, who was playing in.

Jason Isringhausen (1-1) worked a perfect ninth.

Ty Wigginton and Brad Eldred each had three hits and an RBI for the Pirates, who have lost 14 of 17. Starter Mark Redman left after five innings after breaking the tip of his left index finger fouling off a bunt. He could miss the rest of the season.

"If it had to end, I'm glad it ended on a positive note," said Redman, who is 5-15 with a 4.90 ERA. "My pitch was my curveball, and I used it. It opened up a whole new game for me."