ST. LOUIS -- For the Texas Rangers, it was well-worth the wait -- again. Ian Kinsler singled in the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning after the Rangers knocked 10-game winner Adam Wainwright out of the game, and Texas completed a soggy, three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals with a 2-1 victory Sunday night. "It says a lot when you sweep a team thats that talented, so I think thats definitely a boost," said seventh-place hitter David Murphy, whose double kick-started the rally. "We had a lot of fun, we played with energy and we did exactly what we wanted to." Wainwright (10-5) was upset when he was pulled after 105 pitches, and was still hot about it after the game. Manager Mike Matheny said Wainwright, the third hitter due up in the bottom of the seventh, was going to come out then, anyway, and he thought the right-hander had laboured a bit. "Guys were running on the field and hed already spoken to the umpire. No amount of lobbying, I wasnt going to stay in that game," Wainwright said. "But I mean, no, I didnt want to come out of that game. I felt I was as strong or stronger at the end there than I was in the beginning." The finale of Texas first visit to Busch Stadium since losing Games 6 and 7 of the 2011 World Series, and first time ever in the regular season, was delayed 2 hours and 59 minutes by heavy rain with less than half of a near-capacity crowd sticking around, and even less around for the finish at 1:06 a.m. The first pitch Saturday night was pushed back 1 hour, 6 minutes and was the third rain delay of the Cardinals 3-4 homestand. "You cant take that as an excuse," the Cardinals Carlos Beltran said. "The other team is also going through what youre going through." Rookie Nick Tepesch had a resurgent outing for Texas, allowing a run on four hits in 5 2-3 innings after surrendering 11 runs in 8 2-3 innings the previous two starts. Kinsler and Murphy had two hits apiece for the AL West-leading Rangers, who have won five in a row after losing six straight. "Anytime we get a win, it definitely feels good," Tepesch said. The Cardinals, who have the majors best record at 47-29, were swept for the first time this season. Wainwright fell short in a bid to become the first 11-game winner in the National League, allowing an earned run in 6 2-3 innings with six strikeouts and one walk. Leadoff man Matt Carpenter homered to start the sixth, singled and walked for St. Louis. He disagreed with Mathenys assessment that hed been labouring the last two innings. "Hes wrong. You dont want to call your manager out and I would never do that," Wainwright said. "Labouring is not what I was doing. Hes the manager. He makes the call. I should have got the last hitter out I faced." Robbie Ross (4-1) got the last out of the sixth to strand a pair of runners and Joe Nathan worked around two hits in the ninth to earn his third save of the series and 25th overall in 26 chances. "Sometimes its nice and sometimes its pretty and sometimes its beautiful and sometimes its not," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Sometimes its ugly, but the bottom line is he gets three outs." Pete Kozma, whose fielding error at shortstop set the stage for Kinslers go-ahead hit, lined into an inning-ending double play. Wainwright retired the first two batters before Murphy doubled off the base of the right-field wall in the seventh and scored on a single by Leonys Martin to chase the Cardinals ace. Reliever Trevor Rosenthal appeared to get the Cardinals out of the inning still tied but Kozma dropped pinch hitter Jurickson Profars weak pop fly, and Kinsler followed with the go-ahead hit. Tepesch, a former Missouri star from suburban Kansas City, held the Cardinals hitless before David Freese singled with one out in the fifth. Tepesch is a Royals fan but saw a lot of Cardinals games when he was at Missouri. "We were stuck watching them quite a bit," said Tepesch, who struck out three and walked two. "Thats what you were working for and Ive still got a lot of work to do." The Rangers had two on with one out in the sixth with the heart of the order coming up after Elvis Andrus drew a full-count walk, but Wainwright got Nelson to pop out to shallow left and Adrian Beltre on a foul ball out. Both teams have Monday off with the Rangers headed to New York to face the Yankees and the Cardinals opening a two-game set at Houston -- but both teams apparently had little interest in a postponement Sunday night. Notes: Rookie LHP Martin Perez gave Rangers starters their first win of the month Saturday. Relievers claimed the first eight, half of them by Neal Cotts. ... Lance Berkman, who helped the Cardinals beat the Rangers in the 2011 World Series, did not play in the series due to knee soreness and because there was no DH in the NL park. Profar didnt start, either, after starting 16 games earlier this month. ... Actor David Guintoli, a St. Louis native who stars on the TV show Grimm, waited out the delay and threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Damian Lillard Jersey . Now, correct me if Im wrong but I saw one official distinctly pointing at the net indicating a good goal but after an inconclusive review they overturned the goal. Shouldnt the ruling on the ice (good goal) stand after an inconclusive review? Why was this overturned? James Veaudry Pembroke, ON -- Hey Kerry, Youll get a lot of these, but why was the Montreal goal against Nashville Saturday night overturned? Eller puts the puck on net and the on ice ruling from the ref behind the net is a Montreal goal. Jusuf Nurkic Blazers Jersey . 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"This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers each have banked on players with little experience to cover opponents starting receivers. Neither team has managed more than one victory through a quarter or more of the season.Whether theres a direct correlation is debatable, but both teams have seen their young defensive backs tested, and at times it has been costly enough that each club saw wisdom in adding veteran free agents at those spots after since the regular season began.The Saints hosts Carolina on Sunday and New Orleans receiver Willie Snead took notice when Atlanta passed for 481 yards against the Panthers, with the Falcons Julio Jones gaining 300 yards on his own.Snead said the secondary seems to be where the Panthers are struggling right now.Theyve got a lot of young guys, a lot of rookies that are playing, Snead said. We just have to take advantage of the rookies. We have to attack them.The Panthers released third-year cornerback Bene Benwikere after the loss to Atlanta. Meanwhile, rookie cornerback James Bradberry injured his toe, so Carolina went with journeyman veteran Robert McClain and rookie Daryl Worley as its primary cornerbacks, and Zack Sanchez, another rookie, in five-defensive-back (nickel) formations last Monday night.Carolina also benched third-year safety Tre Boston, who took over as starter after the release of safety Roman Harper, who has returned to his original NFL team in New Orleans.They wanted to see what Tre could do. I understand that, Harper said when asked if he understood why Carolina let him go last offseason. Tres a young safety they drafted out of North Carolina. I think hes got a lot of skills and its time for him to start to grow. ... Im kind of just in the way of the whole growth process, so you let me go and youve got to see what these young guys can do.While there have been growing pains for the Panthers, Carolina coach Ron Rivera expressed confidence this week in the direction of his young secondary, which last week allowed just 202 yards passing in a 17-14 loss to Tampa Bay.I know there are some things that we have to shore up, Rivera said, but having said thhat, I think those guys are developing very nicely and really are solid young players.ddddddddddddOverall, the Panthers are still not particularly easy to pass against because of pressure applied by their exceptional, experienced defensive line and linebackers, Saints quarterback Drew Brees said.Saints right tackle Zach Strief added that Carolinas front is strong against the run, essentially forcing opponents to attack through the air.Carolina has allowed 246.4 yards passing per game, which ranks 15th overall, in the middle of the league. But thats down from 11th, where they ranked at the end of the 2015 regular season, when they allowed just 234.5 yards per game and made 24 interceptions. The Panthers have five interceptions this season -- on pace to finish with 16.New Orleans defensive numbers against the pass are considerably worse. The Saints are allowing 301.3 yards passing per game, which ranks 29th. Because of an early season injury to top cornerback Delvin Breaux, the Saints have been playing two undrafted rookies -- Ken Crawley and DeVante Harris -- at cornerback. P.J. Williams, a second-year pro who spent his rookie season in injured reserve, started two games before a severe concussion took him out of action for the remainder of this season as well. New Orleans has brought in veteran cornerbacks Sterling Moore and B.W. Webb since the regular season began.The Saints also are playing rookie Vonn Bell at free safety, but have been pleased enough with him to start him ahead of veteran Jairus Byrd in the Saints previous game, a victory at San Diego.Part of what we are paid to do is develop these young players and play them if we feel like theyre our best option, Saints coach Sean Payton said. Weve seen young corners now that are getting a lot of playing time. Thats not necessarily a bad thing. You hope each week they are improving.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte, North Carolina, contributed to this report. ' ' '