Cards slip past Orioles 5-4

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Chris Carpenter pitched four shutout innings and the Cardinals defeated the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 on Tuesday despite a poor outing by closer Jason Isringhausen.

The Orioles batted around in the fifth against Isringhausen, who blew a 4-0 lead. Rafael Palmeiro's two-run single trimmed the margin to a run, and Enrique Wilson's single tied it.

"Sometimes you have to give the other team credit," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. "They had a lot of good at-bats."

Carpenter allowed five hits and struck out two.

"Baltimore has a heck of a lineup, so I think what he did was impressive," La Russa said.

Orioles starter Rodrigo Lopez struggled early, then settled down, becoming the first Baltimore pitcher to go five innings this spring. Lopez allowed four runs -- three earned -- and seven hits, walked one and struck out three.

"He changed his game plan after the first inning," Baltimore manager Lee Mazzilli said. "He did what he had to do -- he adjusted."

Hector Luna had three hits for the Cardinals. Luis Matos had three hits for the Orioles.

John Mabry's RBI single snapped a sixth-inning tie.