ST. LOUIS -- The rain stopped long enough for the Pirates to play a game at the same time they ended a pesky drought involving hitting in the clutch, thanks to a history-making night by Daryle Ward.

	Bill Boyce, AP photo
	The Pirates' Daryle Ward watches his three-run homer in the fifth inning against the Cardinals last night in St. Louis. The Pirates contained a Cardinals comeback drive to win 11-8. MORE COVERAGE The Pirates might like to tap Pine-Richland's Neil Walker Mondesi eyes new ball club Pirates Report, 5/27/04 Baseball Log, 5/27/04 National League Roundup American League Roundup

Ward hit for the cycle and tied a career high with six RBI in an 11-8 win over the Cardinals last night. He had a two-run double in the first, a run-scoring triple in the fourth, a three-run homer in the fifth and a one-out single in the ninth.

He became the 20th player in Pirates history to hit for the cycle. It had been accomplished 22 times previously, the last one by Jason Kendall on May 19, 2000, against the Cardinals at Three Rivers Stadium.

Ward's first three hits, including the three-run homer that gave the Pirates an eight-run lead, came with runners in scoring position. In one night, Ward matched the team's entire output of three hits with runners in scoring position during its last home stand. Despite having been up from Nashville for just 11 games, Ward is already third on the team in home runs and fourth in RBI. And it's a no-brainer that the first base job belongs to him even with Randall Simon due back from the disabled list this weekend.

"Daryle's swinging the bat extremely well. It'd be awfully difficult to take him out of the lineup at this particular time," Manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He provided some offense right away. He's made the most of his opportunity."

A severe weather system moved through eastern Missouri just prior to the game, forcing an 81-minute delay. The game took 3 hours, 37 minutes to complete after the first pitch was thrown.

The Pirates, who have been rained out three times within the space of a week, were concerned because a day off and drenching conditions have limited their batting practice. Then they proceeded to hit up a storm, collecting 19 hits on the night. They were also eight for 21 with a runner at third or second.

The last time the Pirates had a hit with a runner in scoring position was the eighth inning of the second game of last Wednesday's doubleheader against the Padres. They had gone 0 for 27 since then until Ward's doubled home two runs on the first pitch he saw from Cardinals starter Jason Marquis. It followed a walk to Kendall leading off the game and a single to right by Jack Wilson, the first of his four hits on the night.

Ward, who walked and scored a run in the third, crushed a line drive that fooled right fielder Reggie Sanders and went for a run-scoring, stand-up triple in the fourth. He was just the third triple of his career.

Ward then drilled a three-run home run off reliever Kiko Calero in the fifth and gave the Pirates a 10-2 lead. It came on a 2-1 pitch and was his sixth since his May 11 callup from the minors. The last time he has six RBI in a game was April 3, 2001, against the Brewers when Ward was with the Astros.

His chance of hitting for the cycle seemed to have ended in the seventh when he popped up to third, the only out he made. But he got another chance in the ninth and bounced a single to right off reliever Steve Kline.

The Pirates won their fourth straight game away from PNC Park and have won six of the past seven road games.

The beneficiary of this outburst was Kris Benson, who posted his team-leading fourth win despite faltering in the seventh. Benson, who gave up seven runs on 11 hits, was pulled after 119 pitches as the Cardinals rallied for four runs and batted around in the seventh. Scott Rolen's two-run single was the big blow in that frame, and Jim Edmonds earlier hit a solo home run off him.

Five relievers got the final eight outs.

The meeting was the first of the season with the Cardinals, but the Pirates were well aware of the potency in their lineup.

"We know them pretty good. They do score some runs," McClendon said. "You have to pitch them carefully. They're pretty solid top to bottom."

Then he ticked off some names that underscore why the Cardinals remain one of the elite teams in the Central Division. "(Tony) Womack's done a nice job for them. Edmonds and (Albert) Pujols are as good as anybody in the league. We know what Reggie can do. They've got some guys that are having bounceback years. (Marlon) Anderson and (Ray) Lankford have done a nice job for them. Rolen is probably the best third baseman in baseball. He's hitting the stuffing out of the ball. (Edgar) Renteria's been the top shortstop in the National League for quite some time, defensively and probably offensively as well," he said.

Bobby Hill, making his second career start at third base, handled four chances flawlessly and singled home a run.

Kendall extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single to open the fourth. He also singled before Ward's home run in the fifth. But a Kendall throwing error on Edgar Renteria's steal of second led to a Cardinals run in the second inning.