Carpenter nails down another win for Cards

The St. Louis pitcher collected his 14th win, a 4-2 triumph over San Diego.

By R.B. Fallstrom ~ The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS -- Chris Carpenter pitched seven innings of six-hit ball and the St. Louis Cardinals got first-inning homers by Larry Walker and Scott Rolen in beating the San Diego Padres 4-2 Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory.

Albert Pujols homered for the third straight game in the eighth and Reggie Sanders had a pair of doubles for the NL Central leaders, who have won 10 of 12 overall and will go for a sweep of the three-game series against the Padres, in contention for the wild card spot, on Thursday. The Cardinals are 32-6 against San Diego the last six seasons, including 18-2 at home.

Jim Edmonds, who homered seven times in his previous six games, was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk.

Carpenter (14-5), who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, tied Matt Morris for the staff lead in victories. He struck out five and walked one, and worked out of a two-on, two-out jam in the seventh when he struck out pinch-hitter Robert Fick.

Carpenter, who is 3-1 with a 1.52 ERA in five starts since the beginning of August, won in his first career appearance against the Padres despite scant support. The Cardinals are averaging a staff-low four runs in his starts and lost 1-0 at Cincinnati in Carpenter's last start on Aug. 26.

Jason Isringhausen worked the ninth for his 39th save in 45 opportunities.

The Cardinals jumped on Adam Eaton (9-12), who had won seven straight on the road, early. After Marlon Anderson took a called third strike to start the first, Walker hit his 11th homer.

Pujols walked and Rolen hit an 0-1 pitch over the wall in left-center for his 32nd homer, marking a career best. The homer was his first since Aug. 21 and it hiked his NL-leading RBI total to 115.