Cards go Rolen over Mets

ST. LOUIS -- Scott Rolen hit his first home run with St. Louis and also tripled Sunay night, and Chuck Finley pitched five-hit ball for seven innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 9-0 win over the New York Mets.

Rolen, in a 2-for-32 slump, homered in his 42nd at-bat since coming to St. Louis in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies on July 29. He finished with three hits, two walks and three RBIs.

The Cardinals won for just the fourth time in 11 games to maintain a two-game lead over Cincinnati in the NL Central. The Reds beat the San Diego Padres 9-7 in 12 innings Sunday. The Houston Astros lost to the Atlanta Braves 13-3 to drop three games back.

The Mets fell one game below .500 after losing two of three to St. Louis.

Finley, (3-2) who had lost his last two starts, struck out seven and walked two. Relievers Steve Kline and Kevin Joseph finished the seven-hitter.

Mets starter Pedro Astacio, (11-5) who had won six of his last seven decisions, allowed six runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and four walks in 5 1-3 innings.

Rolen started a two-run rally in the second with a single. After a fielder's choice, Edgar Renteria and Mike Matheny singled to load the bases.

Finley then bunted to first baseman Mo Vaughn who bobbled the ball for an error that allowed a run to score. Fernando Vina put the Cardinals up 2-0 a sacrifice fly to left.

Rolen hit his 18th homer of the year with one out in the third to make the score 3-0.

After leading off the fifth with a walk, Rolen scored on a double by Tino Martinez and a sacrifice fly by Renteria to make the score 4-0.

Rolen drove in two more runs with a triple off reliever Scott Strickland in the sixth. He scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 7-0.

Albert Pujols' two-run double in the seventh finished the scoring.

NOTES: Vaughn who went 0-for-4 is 30-for-67 (.448) with eight home runs in 18 Sunday night games. ..... Astacio is 7-11 lifetime against the Cardinals and 3-6 at Busch Stadium. .... Matheny, batting .227, was walked intentionally three times.