PITTSBURGH – Gregory Polanco turned boos into cheers with the decisive two-run double during an eight-run seventh inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for an 11-7 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night.

Polanco’s double put the Pirates ahead for good at 9-7 and was one of six straight hits off reliever Genesis Cabrera.

Down 7-3 going into the seventh, the Pirates tied it with two-run singles by Bryan Reynolds and Wilmer Difo. Polanco then one-hopped the left-center field wall with his double before pinch-hitter Yoshi Tsutsugo capped the outburst with a two-run home run.

The Cardinals led 7-1 midway through the third inning.

Polanco has been booed regularly at PNC Park recently. He entered Thursday hitting .205 and made a pivotal error in a loss to Arizona on Wednesday night.

The highest-paid player on the team with an $11.6 million salary, Polanco was placed on waivers last weekend but went unclaimed. The 29-year-old said prior to Thursday’s game that he was saddened by the treatment he was getting from fans.

“It’s tough. It’s not nice,” Polanco said. “They have to understand that I’m a human being, too. This is my work. This is my job. I don’t want to do bad. I eat because of baseball. That’s how I get paid, so I want to do great every time. That’s not nice to hear that, the fans like, ‘Oh, release him. DFA him. Send him back.”’

Polanco had three of the Pirates’ 17 hits in helping last-place Pittsburgh win for the fifth time in seven games.