ST. LOUIS (AP) — Matt Adams hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 2-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series with the NL Central rival they topped in the division series last fall.

Matt Carpenter walked to lead off the ninth and Matt Holliday flied out. Adams then hit his 10th homer on an 0-1 pitch from Justin Wilson for his first career game-winning homer. It was the Cardinals’ first game-winning homer since Skip Schumaker connected against the Kansas City Royals on June 19, 2011.

Charlie Morton allowed one hit in seven innings for Pittsburgh, which stranded 12 runners. Adam Wainwright, the Cardinals’ 11-game winner, scattered seven hits in seven scoreless innings. Pat Neshek worked a perfect ninth against the top of the order for St. Louis.