PITTSBURGH -- Just about everyone in the Pirates clubhouse was in a reflective mood after Pittsburgh ended its longest skid in five years.Jung Ho Kang led off the eighth inning with a home run, leading the Pirates to a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night to snap an eight-game losing streak.Kang hit a drive deep into the bullpens in left-center off rookie Alex Reyes (1-1) for his 17th homer and third in two games. It helped snap the Pirates longest skid since dropping 10 straight in 2011.The third baseman returned from the disabled list Monday after missing 15 days with a sore left shoulder.I really, really reflected on myself and how much I really want to win and how much I really want to play baseball, Kang said of his time on the DL. I really spent good time thinking about that.The Cardinals are percentage points ahead of the New York Mets for the second NL wild card, and the Pirates pulled within 4 1/2 games of St. Louis.Trevor Williams (1-0) allowed one unearned run in three innings for the win in his major league debut. He shared an emotional moment with his father after the game.We hugged and shed a few tears together, Williams said. Its a moment Im never going to forget. To be able to have my father here, the man who has been with me every step of the way on my baseball journey, meant the world to me.Reyes gave up one run in 3 2/3 innings and also singled off Williams in the seventh for his first major league hit.Tony Watson worked a perfect ninth inning for his 11th save after blowing his previous two opportunities, including Tuesday night when he allowed three home runs in the ninth inning of a 9-7 loss.Ive been in this situation before where you give up some and then you sit around for a couple days, Watson said. Its good to get back out there. Its good to get the win, most importantly, and end this losing streak.The Cardinals ended a streak of 25 consecutive games with a home run, a club record.Pirates starter Jameson Taillon pitched five innings. The rookie gave up two runs, six hits and a walk with five strikeouts.Mike Leake went 4 1/3 innings in his first start for the Cardinals since Aug. 21 after being sidelined by the shingles virus. He gave up three runs, nine hits and a walk while striking out three.I wasnt locating as well as I know as I can, Leake said. Im sure being off a couple of weeks played a factor. Now Im back on track and ready for the next one.The Cardinals Yadier Molina scored in the sixth to make it 3-3. Molina reached second base when right fielder Adam Frazier dropped his fly ball, then scored on a single by Randal Grichuk.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: LF Matt Holliday (broken left thumb) was cleared to resume baseball activities and is hopeful of returning before the end of the regular season. He has been on the disabled list since Aug. 12.Pirates: LF Starling Marte sat out a second straight game because of back spasms. ... RHP Neftali Feliz, who was removed from Saturdays game with arm discomfort, is still unable to play catch and likely wont return until next week. ... C Elias Diaz, who was expected to be recalled Tuesday from Triple-A Indianapolis, has instead been shut down for the season after undergoing surgery for a bacterial infection in his left leg.CLEMENTE DAYA large contingent of Pirates players, coaches, executives and their wives visited Pittsburgh King PreK-8 School on Wednesday along with Roberto Clementes widow and three sons as part of Major League Baseballs annual Clemente Day celebration.The Hall of Fame right fielder spent his entire 18-year career with the Pirates from 1955-72. Clemente died in a plane crash on New Years Eve in 1972 off the coast of his native Puerto Rico while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua.UP NEXTCardinals: LHP Jaime Garcia (10-11, 4.41 ERA), who has lost his last three starts, faces Milwaukee RHP Junior Guerra (7-3, 2.85) on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game home series.Pirates: RHP Ivan Nova (11-6, 4.34) is 4-0 with a 2.89 ERA in six starts since being acquired from the New York Yankees in a trade Aug. 1. He starts against Cincinnati RHP Dan Straily (11-7, 3.83) to open a four-game home series Thursday.A. J. Pollock Jersey .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. Wholesale Dodgers Jerseys . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. https://www.cheapdodgersonline.com/105h-kyle-garlick-jersey-dodgers.html . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. Fake Dodgers Jerseys .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven games when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for Sundays clash at Rexall Place. Los Angeles Dodgers Gear . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends.Championship drag racing team owner Don Schumacher once spotted Leah Pritchett racing Nostalgia Funny Cars and brought her to Indianapolis for a test session prior to the U.S. Nationals. She proceeded to earn her NHRA Nitro Funny Car license with Don Schumacher Racing.That was eight years ago. At this years U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend, Pritchett raced her Don Schumacher Racing Top Fuel car into the NHRAs six-race Countdown to the Championship for the first time.Pritchett entered nationals tied with Terry McMillen for 10th in points. Both drivers were eliminated in the first round, but because Pritchett outqualified McMillen by six positions (she was 10th; he was 16th), she beat him by one point for the final Countdown position.Actions speak louder than words, Pritchett said. I said I was going to make the Countdown and we did. Im going to give everybody one hell of a run for their money for this championship.By Pritchett making the Countdown, which begins Friday at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, all eight DSR teams are in title contention: four in Top Fuel and four in Funny Car. It is Pritchett, however, who is the surprise of the group.?Four races into the season, Pritchetts team, owned by Bob Vandergriff Jr., abruptly shut down. After the unexpected death of the teams financial backer and C&J Energy Services founder Josh Comstock, Vandergriff announced his retirement. Pritchett hastily put together a deal for the Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX with Lagana Family Racing, but she had nothingg solidified for the next event.dddddddddddd Pritchett then turned to Schumacher.I went ahead and hired Leah, even though I didnt have a car for her to race, Schumacher said. I did put a team together a couple of races later. Shes been employed by me ever since the Atlanta race [in May].Pritchett was responsible for obtaining the teams funding -- $125,000 per race. That money pays for things such as parts, fuel, per diem for crew members and hotel rooms. In the first 18 races this season, she missed only one because of a lack of a sponsor. She currently has sponsors for four of the six Countdown events, but Schumacher has assured her shell be at all of them.Schumacher supplies the cars, which have to be built, the transporter for them and the full-time crew at the shop to build and prepare the cars.Im very impressed by her effort, hard work to get that done [acquire funding] and her willingness to do anything necessary sponsorship-wise, Schumacher said. Shes a talented driver, quick on the starting line. Shes very good with TV, very good with sponsors and a very good teammate, which is very important to my organization. She needs to fit in with everyone, and she does a very good job of that. It makes a great situation.Deb Williams is a North Carolina-based writer and former editor. She has covered auto racing for United Press International, USA Today and The Charlotte Observer. ' ' '