PITTSBURGH — Manager Clint Hurdle was asked what he said to his Pittsburgh Pirates after they suffered their worst loss of the season.

“Nothing,” Hurdle said. “We just won four out of five games from the St. Louis Cardinals. You’ve got to be happy about that.”

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 NL’s top two teams.

“Sometimes it’s easy to forget the (players) are human beings,” Hurdle said. “We played really in the first four games and then we didn’t play so well tonight. It happens, though.”

St. Louis began the series with a 2½-game lead in the NL Central, but left with the Pirates ahead by 1½ 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,” Hurdle said. “Tonight, we let it out.”

Manager Mike Matheny admitted the Cardinals’ losing streak was starting to get to him.

“It’s 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 it’s because we haven’t been doing what we’re supposed to do, what we’re paid to do, and that’s win ballgames.”

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.”

Hurdle was impressed by Kelly, even on a night when he didn’t have pinpoint control.

“A lot of times the catcher would set up outside but the ball would be on the inside part of the plate because he got such good crosscut action on it,” Hurdle said. “We’ve seen him before. He’s got a big arm and a chance to be a good one.”

Carlos Beltran, Allen Craig, Matt Holliday and David Freese also had two of St. Louis’ 17 hits.