Cards collect first win against Astros on fourth attempt

HOUSTON -- Reggie Sanders homered in the third inning and snatched away a Jeff Bagwell shot at the right-field wall in the fifth, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Houston Astros 5-3 Tuesday night.

Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning and Jason Isringhausen closed it out, helping the Cardinals break a four-game losing streak at Houston.

A matchup between the NL's two top offensive teams never really materialized until late as the Cardinals' Jeff Suppan and Houston's Wade Miller each had impressive mound performances early on.

Pujols broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth, sending a Miller pitch deep into the left field seats for his sixth homer this season.

St. Louis added two runs in the seventh on a fielding error by third baseman Jose Vizcaino that scored Scott Rolen and Tony Womack's RBI single.

Houston, which swept a three-game series at St. Louis last week, tried to rally in the eighth.

Bagwell singled and Jeff Kent got on base with help from a fielding error by third baseman Scott Rolen. Lance Berkman homered off Steve Kline, pulling the Astros within two runs.

The crowd of 29,625, mostly quiet throughout the evening, came alive as it sensed a brief shift in momentum.

But Isringhausen relieved and struck out Richard Hidalgo and Mike Lamb, then finished for his second save.

Suppan (1-2), who pitched six innings, didn't give up any hits after Bagwell's single in the third. He walked two batters after that but didn't allow them past first base.

Miller (2-1), who had won five straight decisions against St. Louis, allowed five runs and five hits in six innings. He retired eight consecutive batters after giving up Sanders' homer but left in the sixth after Pujols' homer.

Noteworthyn Former PGA and British Open champion John Daly, wearing a loose-fitting Hawaiian-style shirt, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

It was only the fourth away game for St. Louis, tied with Atlanta for fewest NL road games.