PITTSBURGH -- One shortstop made an error, then the other did. Pinch-hitters and pinch-runners got involved. Leads changed.

"It's amazing, just all the way around. A lot of guys contributing in a lot of ways," St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said after Friday night's 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

"Just one of those that you put a mark next to. Showed a lot of grit. We had to have a lot of guys do little things right, and I wouldn't even call them little things anymore."

Jedd Gyorko produced the game-tying pinch hit single in the ninth and Randal Grichuk scored the go-ahead run on a fielding error by Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer after Pittsburgh had taken a lead in the eighth.

Trailing 3-2 against Pittsburgh closer Felipe Rivero (5-3), Stephen Piscotty led off the ninth with a double off the wall in right and was replaced by pinch-runner Harrison Bader.

After Carson Kelly flied out, Gyorko singled to center to drive in Bader for a 3-3 tie. Following a single by Tommy Pham, Dexter Fowler hit a ground ball to Mercer.

Mercer got handcuffed by the ball and Grichuk scored the go-ahead run on the misplay.

The Pirates scratched out a run in the seventh to break a 2-2 tie when shortstop Paul DeJong's flip to second baseman Kolten Wong was high, which Matheny called "a blip on the screen defensively."

DeJong's error on what could have been a double play by pinch-hitter John Jaso allowed pinch-runner Max Moroff to score from third.

"The guys picked me up and got a team win," DeJong said. "Really, it's all good."

Juan Nicasio (5-5) pitched two innings for the win.

"Just an experienced arm with great stuff," Matheny said of Nicasio, a former Pirate. "I know he's anxious to pitch and be a part of a team that's doing what we're doing."

That would be making a run at a playoff spot.

St. Louis (81-72) won its fourth in a row as it tries to stay in the National League wild card race and perhaps the chase for first in the NL Central. The Cardinals began the night one game out of the second wild card spot and remained five games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs.

Pittsburgh (69-85) lost for the eighth time in nine games.

Each starter went five innings and did not get a decision.

St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha allowed three hits, with a walk and four strikeouts.

Pittsburgh right-hander Ivan Nova avoided reaching a National League-high 15 losses by allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits. He also committed a throwing error that allowed the unearned run to score.

"The game could have gotten away from him early, and he didn't allow it to get away from him," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Nova. "But it wasn't his best stuff. I don't think he had a put-away pitch; he was just gritty."

Rivero, Pittsburgh's fifth pitcher and its closer, was coming off a win on Wednesday but was making just his fourth appearance since getting his last save on Sept. 5.

"You have to be ready every time," Rivero said. "It doesn't matter. You can be two months without a save. You have to be ready anytime."

The Cardinals got a run in each of the first two innings.

Fowler's single up the middle drove in Matt Carpenter, who led off with a double off the wall in right, to make it 1-0 in the first inning.

In the second, DeJong opened with an infield single, and moved to second on Wong's single to right. One out later, DeJong scored when Nova threw off-target to third for an error on Wacha's weak grounder.

Pittsburgh tied it 2-2 in the fourth.

Starling Marte drew a walk and, an out later, moved to third on Josh Bell's base hit to right. David Freese drove in Marte with a double off the wall in center, and Bell scored on Gregory Polanco's fielder's choice when a throw home was too late.

NOTES: St. Louis 1B Jose Martinez left in the seventh because of left thumb soreness. Manager Mike Matheny said it's been a nagging thing and Martinez might get sent back to St. Louis for evaluation. ... Pittsburgh's three by-trade OFs -- LF Starling Marte, CF Andrew McCutchen and RF Gregory Polanco -- all started for just the 10th time since July 22. ... Pittsburgh RHP Ivan Nova's 30th start triggered a $750,000 bonus in his contract. ... St. Louis manager Mike Matheny turned 47 on Friday.