Phillies complete sweep

PHILADELPHIA -- Amaury Telemaco won for the first time in over two years, retiring the final 14 batters he faced as the Philadelphia Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals with a 6-4 victory Sunday.

Jim Thome and Pat Burrell each hit a two-run homer in the third inning for the Phillies, who have won five straight and lead Florida by a half-game in the NL wild-card race.

Albert Pujols, owner of a 30-game hitting streak, sat out with flu-like symptoms for the Cardinals, who have lost four of their last five.

The sweep was Philadelphia's first over the Cardinals at Veterans Stadium since 1993.

Telemaco (1-0) pitched seven innings for his first win since June 6, 2001. The game was his first in the majors since a relief appearance on July 16, 2001.

Thome broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run shot to the upper deck in right off Brett Tomko (9-8). It was Thome's 33rd homer of the season and his fifth in the last six games.

Two batters later, Burrell hit a towering homer to left-center -- his 17th of the year.

Telemaco, called up Sunday to replace Brandon Duckworth in the Phillies' starting rotation, allowed two runs on four hits, striking out seven. He didn't issue a walk.

Jim Edmonds was the last hitter to reach against Telemaco when he singled in the third inning. After Telemaco left, Terry Adams retired the first batter of the eighth, then hit Bo Hart with a pitch, prompting a warning from plate umpire Mark Carlson.

In the ninth, Turk Wendell allowed Tino Martinez's one-out homer -- St. Louis' first hit since Edmonds' single. Wendell then hit Edgar Renteria with a pitch, but wasn't ejected.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa argued at length before being thrown out by third-base umpire Gerry Davis. At one point, La Russa tore up a piece of paper and tossed it in the air.

Following La Russa's ejection, the Phillies brought in Jose Mesa, who allowed Miguel Cairo's RBI single and a two-out walk to Mike Matheny.

Mike Williams then came on and struck out pinch-hitter Kerry Robinson for his 27th save in 32 chances. It was Williams' second save since being traded from Pittsburgh on July 20th.

Orlando Palmeiro gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead in the first with his second homer of the season.

Philadelphia answered with two runs in its first at-bat. Marlon Byrd scored on a passed ball and Chase Utley delivered a RBI single.

St. Louis tied the game at 2 on Cairo's RBI groundout in the second.

Tomko pitched three innings, giving up six runs on six hits. He walked three and didn't have a strikeout.