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SPOKANE, Wash. -- Slow starts have bedeviled No. 25 Washington State this season, and the Cougars are seeking to avoid that Saturday against downtrodden Arizona.Washington State fell behind 24-6 at halftime at Oregon State last weekend before rallying for a 35-31 win that lifted them into the Top 25 for the first time since last year.Slow starts were a big factor during the Cougars two losses this year, to FCS Eastern Washington and at No. 24 Boise State.Weve got to get off to a fast start, quarterback Luke Falk insisted this week.We definitely dont want to come out tight, receiver Robert Lewis said. Weve just got to come out on fire.Washington State (6-2, 5-0 Pac-12) has won six in a row and along with No. 4 Washington remained the only team with an undefeated Pac-12 record.The Cougars are more than two-touchdown favorites over Arizona (2-6, 0-5) which has lost five games in a row.Linebacker Isaac Dotson said the slow start at Oregon State was the result of a couple of missed assignments, which he called little things.It looked a lot worse than it was, Dotson said. We got those fixed.Meanwhile, struggling Arizona has played both Brandon Dawkins and Anu Solomon at quarterback, and coach Rich Rodriguez has declined to say who will start on Saturday.Were evaluating them throughout practice, Rodriguez said. I may make a decision five minutes before kickoff, or maybe two days before.A loss would virtually eliminate the Wildcats from playing in a bowl game this season.If we want to go to a bowl, we have to win out, Rodriguez said. But I dont want to increase pressure.One athlete who is playing well for Arizona is sophomore safety Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, who leads the team with 51 tackles and has two interceptions. He played last year as a freshman.We knew hed have a good year, Rodriguez said. Hes bigger and stronger. His future is even better.Rodriguez said Washington State is playing with a lot of confidence, and he was asked how to instill that in the Wildcats.It comes from winning, Rodriguez said.Here are some things to watch:FALKS FUTURE: Published reports earlier this week indicated Falk had decided to forego his senior year and declare for the NFL after this season. Falk denied that was the case and said speculation about his future is noise that must be blocked out. Im really focused on preparing for Arizona right now, Falk said. I dont want to answer any more questions about that.STOPPING THE RUN: Washington State has the Pac-12s No. 1 rushing defense, holding opponents to an average of 113.9 yards per game.BOWL ELIGIBLE: Leach was asked about the Cougars becoming bowl eligible for the second consecutive season with the win over Oregon State. Were mostly interested in winning this next game, he said.MARKS MAN: Washington State receiver Gabe Marks needs 12 catches to become the leading receiver in Pac-12 history with 295 career receptions. Nelson Spruce of Colorado currently holds the record of 294. He always wants the ball, Leach said of Marks. We need him to catch a bunch more.PASSING FANCY: Arizonas quarterbacks combined to complete just 5 of 18 passes in last weekends loss to Stanford. Rodriguez came to their defense this week. Thats the hardest position to play in sports, period, he said. 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LOUIS -- Gregory Polanco found the best way to take the pressure off his ailing left hamstring.The Pittsburgh outfielder simply drove the ball over the wall twice on Monday to lead the Pirates to a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.Left-hander Jonathon Niese (7-6) turned in his strongest performance in almost a month for Pittsburgh, which has won five in a row, all on the road. St. Louis had a three-game winning streak snapped.Polancos two-run homer in the sixth off Carlos Martinez (7-6) put the Pirates ahead to stay 2-1. He added a solo shot in the eighth for the first two-homer game of his career.`Hitting and swinging, I dont feel it at all, it doesnt bother me, Polanco said. Im grateful for that. And Im glad its getting better.Polanco struggled running to first on a ground ball in the opening inning. But he had little trouble leisurely trotting around the bases twice.Hes continuing to be a force in the lineup, Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. A real strong performance.Niese (7-6) allowed just one run on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked one. Niese had given up at least four earned runs in each of his last four starts including surrendering eight earned runs in an 8-3 loss to St. Louis at home on June 12.You cant dwell on the past games, theyre over with, Niese said. So, I just focused on whats ahead. I use my sinker more, cutter less. I was able to keep them honest.Relievers Arquimedes Caminero, Juan Nicasio and Neftali Feliz combined to allow one run over the final 3 1/3 innings. Feliz picked up his first save of the season despite giving up a run-scoring double to Matt Carpenter in the ninth. Feliz retired Matt Holliday on a fly out with two runners on to end the game.The Cardinals went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.Guys had a good plan, they had an idea of what they wanted to do, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. We just couldnt get that big hit. We left a little too much on the table.The Pittsburgh bullpen had gone 34 1/3 innings without allowing a run, prior to Carpenters RBI hit. That is the longest streak in the majors this season.Jaso pushed the lead to 3-1 with a run-scoring hit in the seventth off Martinez, who gave up three runs on nine hits over seven innings.dddddddddddd He struck out seven, walked one and recorded his seventh successive quality start.I just tried to concentrate all the way through, Martinez said.Carpenter gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the fifth.Polanco, who leads the team with 50 RBI, played the previous six games as a designated hitter during the nine-game road trip. His last performance in the field came on June 23 against San Francisco.Pittsburgh, which has won eight of 10, recorded its fourth successive come-from-behind win.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: C Chris Stewart was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left knee discomfort. C Eric Fryer, claimed on waivers from St. Louis on Sunday, was activated for Mondays game. RHP Rob Scahill was designated for assignment.Cardinals: OF Tommy Pham was scratched from the starting lineup minutes before the game with right shoulder stiffness. LHP Kevin Siegrist remains on the 15-day disabled list due to mononucleosis. He is expected to be out until after the All-Star break.UP NEXTRHP Mike Leake (5-6, 4.13) will take on LHP Steven Brault (0-0, 0.00), who will be called up from Triple-A Indianapolis, in the second game of the four-game series on Tuesday. Brault is replacing Jameson Taillon (2-1, 3.86), who was placed on the 15-day disabled list after Mondays game with right shoulder fatigue.Were just going to back away (with him) right now, Hurdle said.Brault was 2/3 with a 2.31 ERA in nine starts between Indianapolis and Class A West Virginia.REHABBINGThe Pirates also announced that RHP Gerrit Cole will make a rehab start on Tuesday in Indianapolis against Louisville. Cole was placed on the disabled list on June 14 with a strained right triceps. In addition, RHP Ryan Vogelsong will toss a 60-pitch/four inning simulated game on Tuesday. ... C Francisco Cervelli will catch the session. Vogelsong was placed on the disabled list May 23 after he was hit by a line drive against Colorado. Cervelli has been on the DL since mid-June with a broken bone in his left hand. ' ' '