Cardinals crack into win column

ST. LOUIS -- Scott Rolen capped a five-run rally in the seventh inning with a three-run homer, as the St. Louis Cardinals won their first game of the season, 9-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night.

The Cardinals overcame a shaky debut from Woody Williams, who threw 82 pitches in three innings, and some shoddy defense to beat a Brewers team that scored 15 runs the first two games.

Jim Edmonds and Rolen each hit their first homers of the season for the Cardinals, who stumbled out of the gate against a rebuilt team that went 68-94 last year.

Wes Helms had three hits with two RBIs for the Brewers, who missed a chance to start the season 3-0 for only the sixth time in franchise history.

They last did it in 1995.

The Cardinals got five runs on five hits in the seventh off Adrian Hernandez (0-1), making his season debut after making the team as a non-roster invitee. Albert Pujols' sacrifice fly tied it at 4 and Edmonds gave St. Louis the lead with a sharply hit ball that second baseman Junior Spivey knocked down in the shallow infield but could not stop.

Rolen followed Edmonds' hit with his home run on a full-count pitch.

Williams totaled only five innings in spring training due to shoulder tendinitis, and the rust showed as he allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits. He struggled with his command, going to a full count against five of the first six batters.

Matt Kinney allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings for the Brewers, leaving with a 4-3 lead. He was more impressive at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI single to double his career hit total.

Entering the game, Kinney had been 2-for-57 (.035). He also had a much-improved showing against the Cardinals, against whom he was 0-4 with a 10.13 ERA last year.

Mike Lincoln (1-0), the third St. Louis pitcher, allowed one walk in 1 1-3 hitless innings.

Helms had a two-run single off Williams in the third for a 3-1 lead and Helms doubled and scored on Gary Bennett's two-out single in the sixth to make it 4-2.

The Cardinals also scored on Pujols' double-play ball in the first, Pujols doubled and scored on Scott Rolen's grounder in the third, Edmonds homered leading off the sixth and So Taguchi doubled in a run in the eighth.

St. Louis struggled defensively from the first play of the game. Scott Posednik got an infield hit when Pujols was indecisive at first base after gloving his slow roller. Shortstop Edgar Renteria botched a grounder to help the Brewers score an unearned run in the second, and outfielders Reggie Sanders and Edmonds both made poor relay throws.

Notes: Williams was 3-0 with an 0.44 ERA last year against the Brewers. His longest spring training outing was two innings, on two occasions. ... The Cardinals last started the season 0-3 when they were swept at Colorado in 2001. They haven't lost three straight home games to open the season since 1969. ... NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace, a St. Louis native, threw out the first pitch.