PITTSBURGH -- Andrew McCutchen had had plenty of memorable moments during his seven-year, but the Pittsburgh Pirates superstar center fielder admitted this was one of the best.

McCutchen's two-run homer in the bottom of the 14th inning gave the Pirates a thrilling 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night on in a matchup between the teams with the two best records in the National League.

"That was pretty exciting," McCutchen said with a grin.

It was McCutchen's 12th home run of the season and fifth career walk-off shot. He also extended his career-best hitting streak to 18 games after going 0-for-3 with three walks in a game that last five hours and three minutes.

"Who would have it would come down to that with the night I was having?" McCutchen said. "It was a great game with a very climatic comeback. It was fun to be a part of it and especially to be in position to win it."

Second baseman Neil Walker singled to lead off the inning and McCutchen followed with a 415-foot drive to center fielder off reliever Nick Greenwood, who was recalled from Triple-a Memphis before the game.

"I tried to go in with the pitch, but I didn't get it in far enough," Greenwood said.

The Cardinals went ahead 4-3 in the top of the 14th on shortstop Jhonny Peralta's one-out RBI single off winning pitcher Vance Worley (3-4).

The Pirates (52-35) drew within 3 1/2 games of the Cardinals (56-32) in the NL Central with their seventh win in eight games. It is the closest the Pirates have been to first place since April 30 when they were three games back.

The Pirates have won two games in the four-game series that concludes Sunday night and finishes the season's first half.

Both teams scored a run in the 10th.

First baseman Mark Reynolds' solo home run in the top of the inning, his second of the game and seventh of the season, against rookie reliever Deolis Guerra put the Cardinals ahead 4-3.

In the bottom half, rookie third baseman Jung Ho Kang hit a leadoff triple and scored the tying run on catcher Chris Stewart's one-out single off closer Trevor Rosenthal.

The Pirates tied the score at 3 in the eighth on consecutive RBI singles by Kang and first baseman Pedro Alvarez.

Walker and Kang had two hits each for the Pirates.

Left fielder Randal Grichuk had three hits for the Cardinals and Peralta, Reynolds and second baseman Kolten Wong added two apiece.

Pirates starter A.J. Burnett gave up three runs in 6 1/3 innings, allowing more than two runs for the first time in nine home starts at PNC Park this season. He also hit his first home since 2005 when he connected off Cardinals starter John Lackey in the fifth to draw the Pirates within 3-1.

Burnett's ERA rose to 2.11 from 1.99 as he came up short in his attempt to be the first Pirates pitcher to have a sub-2.00 ERA at the All-Star break since Bob Veale was at 1.90 in 1968.

Lackey pitched into the seventh for the eighth time in his last nine starts but was a not factor in the decision, giving up one run in 6 2/3 innings. He is 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA in his last six starts.

Reynolds opened the scoring by hitting a controversial home run in the second, a solo shot deep into the left-field bleachers with two outs for his seventh homer of the season.

That led to the ejections of Pirates manager Clint Hurdle and catcher Francisco Cervelli by home plate umpire Vic Carapazza for arguing.

The Pirates thought Reynolds struck out swinging on the previous pitch on a 1-2 count, but Carapazza ruled a foul tip. Video replays were clear that Reynolds swung through the pitch, but the play could not be reviewed under Major League Baseball rules.

The Cardinals increased their lead to 3-0 on catcher Yadier Molina's sacrifice fly in the third and a run-scoring fielding error by Alvarez at first base in the fifth.

NOTES: The Cardinals placed RHP Mitch Harris on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 9, with a right groin strain. St. Louis also recalled RHP Sam Greenwood and RHP Sam Tuivailala from Triple-A Memphis and optioned 1B Xavier Scruggs to the same club. ... Pirates LF Starling Marte returned to the lineup after missing five games with a strained left oblique muscle and went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk and two strikeouts. ... Pirates LHP Francisco Liriano (5-6, 2.99 ERA) faces Cardinals rookie LHP Tim Cooney (0-0, 3.95) in the series finale on Sunday.