Pujols HR lifts Cards in 13 innings

The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS -- Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer off Chad Harville in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.

Mike Lamb had given the Astros a 3-2 lead in the top of the 13th with an RBI single.

David Eckstein walked to lead off the bottom of the inning. After Russ Springer struck out Jim Edmonds, Harville (0-1) was brought in to get his first save of the season and second of his career. Pujols worked Harville to a full count before hitting his 23rd home run into the Houston bullpen.

Lamb had singled off left-hander Ray King, who was brought in to the left-handed hitter. Brad Thompson (1-0) relieved King and got the final out to pick up his first major league win.

Houston lost for the second time in nine games and fell 12 1/2 games behind the first-place Cardinals, who are 27-9 against the NL Central.

Cardinals left fielder Reggie Sanders left the game with two outs in the first inning after he collided with center fielder Jim Edmonds while catching Craig Biggio's flyball in the gap. Sanders sustained a bruised left rib and a slight right ankle sprain on the play. He was replaced by Larry Walker.

Einar Diaz hit his first home run for the Cardinals leading off the eighth against reliever Chad Qualls to break a 1-1 tie.

But closer Jason Isrinhausen blew his third save in 28 chances, allowing Lamb's game-tying sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth.

St. Louis took a 1-0 lead when Mark Grudzielanek, who went 3-for-4, homered to left off Astros starter Andy Pettitte with one out in the second.

That was all the Cardinals could manage off Pettitte, who retired 13 of the next 15 batters. Pettitte lasted seven innings and allowed four hits, while striking out three and walking three.

Houston tied the game 1-1 in the fifth on two infield hits, a bloop single and a wild pitch by Cardinals starter Mark Mulder.

With one out, Chris Burke reached on a bunt single. He advanced to second on Adam Everett's pop fly to shallow right that just eluded Pujols, the first baseman. The Astros loaded the bases on Willy Taveras' major league-leading 43rd infield hit, a swinging bunt down the third base line. Burke scored when Mulder's pitch in the dirt eluded Diaz.

Mulder allowed eight hits in continuing his dominance over the Astros at Busch Stadium, where he has allowed one run in 18 innings against Houston this season. On April 23, Mulder shut out the Astros for 10 innings when he outpitched Roger Clemens for a 1-0 win.