Cardinals' win slices Reds' lead to one

CINCINNATI -- The hard-charging Cardinals are starting to get under the Cincinnati Reds' skin.

Fernando Vina had three hits and Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer Tuesday night, extending St. Louis' dominance of the Reds with an 8-5 victory.

The Cardinals have won 18 of their last 24 games, putting the pressure on first-place Cincinnati in the NL Central. The Reds have led the division since April 16, but their five-game cushion is down to one.

Even more telling: The Cardinals have won six of their eight games against the Reds, raising questions about how long the division leaders can hang on.

"You'd like to start mixing in some wins," said Reds third baseman Aaron Boone, who hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning. "You feel like a lot of people are saying, 'Well, you can't beat them, and it's a must win and this is a huge series.' I do feel like tomorrow's game is important. This is a team we've got to beat."

No one has beaten the Cardinals with Jason Simontacchi on the mound.

Simontacchi (4-0) was sharp despite an eight-day layoff, holding the Reds scoreless until Jason LaRue's RBI single in the seventh cut it to 7-1. The right-hander gave up one run and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings on a humid, 82-degree night.

The 28-year-old rookie took a meandering path to the majors. He has played in four farm systems, an independent league, the Italian professional league, the Venezuelan winter league and the 2000 Olympics for Italy.

Simontacchi gave the Cardinals' injury-depleted rotation a boost after his promotion in May, pitching so well that he has stayed on the staff. He's been sharp after long layoffs, winning despite going 10 days and eight days between starts.

Without him, the Cardinals probably would be in serious trouble.

"It's hard to describe the lift he's given us," manager Tony La Russa said. "He's been really special and really needed."

Simontacchi didn't expect such great things -- an unbeaten record and a 2.48 ERA -- when he got his big league promotion.

"I expected to be successful, but the team got hot and things just kind of rolled," he said.

He's still a little wide-eyed about all of it. He savored the chance to face Ken Griffey Jr. for the first time.

"I just think about my dad watching at home, seeing what Griffey does," said Simontacchi, who got him out all three times. "I'm still enjoying this."

Griffey singled in five at-bats, leaving him 4-for-28 since returning from a torn knee tendon. He has only two hits in his last 23 at-bats, including a bunt single.

The Cardinals' balanced offense picked up where it left off the last time it was at Cinergy Field. On May 12, St. Louis scored 10 consecutive runs for its biggest comeback in 10 years, a 10-8 victory.

Vina had three singles, two of them driving in runs, and Pujols hit his 12th homer off Joey Hamilton (3-3), who has been rocked in two of his three games since returning from a torn hamstring.

Hamilton gave up six runs, six hits and two walks in five innings. In three starts since coming off the disabled list, Hamilton has given up 15 runs in 13 2-3 innings.

Vina's RBI singled put the Cardinals ahead to stay in the third inning. Edgar Renteria had a run-scoring single and Mike Matheny hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and Pujols homered in a three-run fifth.

Vina's run-scoring single off reliever Scott Williamson's glove made it 7-0 in the sixth. Vina singled, stole second and scored on J.D. Drew's double in the ninth.

Notes: The Cardinals put RHP Garrett Stephenson on the 15-day DL. He aggravated his sore left hamstring while throwing in the bullpen Sunday. LHP Bud Smith was called up from Triple-A Memphis and will start Friday in Anaheim. ... LHP Rick Ankiel will start an injury rehabilitation assignment with Class-A Peoria on Wednesday. Ankiel will be used as a reliever in the minors. He's on the 60-day DL because of tendinitis in his left elbow. ... CF Jim Edmonds was out of the lineup again because of a sprained right wrist, suffered Friday night. ... The Reds have dropped RHP Jose Rijo from the rotation for now. Reliever Carlos Almanzar will start in his place Saturday in Anaheim. Manager Bob Boone gave no indication whether Rijo's move to the bullpen will be long-term. ... Bengals RB Corey Dillon took batting practice with the Reds before the game and hit one off the foul pole.