Cards score six unanswered runs in 6-4 win against Mets

~ St. Louis took advantage of several misplays by New York.

ST. LOUIS -- Rick Ankiel hit a go-ahead RBI double after Daniel Murphy misplayed Brendan Ryan's liner to left field for a triple, and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied from four runs down to beat the New York Mets 6-4 on Tuesday night.

Albert Pujols had a two-run double and Ankiel broke out of a 1-for-20 slide with three hits for the Cardinals. Khalil Greene, Joe Thurston and Ryan Ludwick also had RBIs for St. Louis.

The Mets, who blew an early 4-0 lead, had a chance to break the tie in the top of the eighth, but Carlos Beltran was tagged out at home when he tried to score on an errant throw to third. Beltran tagged up from second on Ramon Castro's fly to right off Jason Motte (1-0), and raced home when the ball rolled toward the unattended pitcher's mound. Instead of sliding, Beltran went in standing up and was tagged on the back by Yadier Molina to end the inning.

Motte got the last two outs in the eighth to earn his first major league win. Ryan Franklin pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.

St. Louis Cardinals' Joe Thurston walks with the bases loaded to tie the baseball game against the New York Mets in the fifth inning Tuesday, April 21, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)

Ankiel, who went 1-for-18 on the Cardinals' recent six-game road trip, had three straight hits after being retired in his first two at-bats to lift his average to .227. He also scored twice.

Ryan led off the bottom half with a liner off J.J. Putz (1-1) to left that Murphy charged in for, but he misjudged the ball and fell trying to correct himself. The ball rolled to the wall and Ryan had a triple. Ankiel followed with his double to right.

Ludwick gave the Cardinals a 6-4 lead when he hit a sacrifice fly.

New York seemed headed for an easy night, scoring four times in the first four innings against Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer. Wellemeyer, who gave up a career high 12 hits in his lone start against the Mets last season, gave up 10 hits this time in five innings.

Beltran had an RBI double, and Jose Reyes, David Wright and Murphy had RBI singles.

The Cardinals' Khalil Greene heads to first after being walked with the bases loaded against the New York Mets during the fifth inning Tuesday at Busch Stadium. (BILL BOYCE ~ Associated Press)

But the Cardinals chased Mets starter Oliver Perez and tied the game by scoring four times in the fifth inning.

Pujols hit his two-run double after Wellemeyer and Ankiel each singled to center.

Perez, who allowed four runs on six hits and five walks, got Ludwick to pop out to first, but walked Molina and gave up an infield single to Chris Duncan to load the bases. Greene then walked to score a run to make it 4-3.

Casey Fossum, making his Mets' debut, relieved and walked Thurston on four pitches to tie it.