Redbirds snap A's 8-game streak

ST. LOUIS -- Pinch-hitter Marlon Anderson sparked a five-run seventh inning with a two-run go-ahead single, helping the St. Louis Cardinals end the Oakland Athletics' eight-game winning streak with an 8-4 victory Tuesday night.

Albert Pujols was 1-for-4 with two RBIs for the Cardinals in his first appearance at first base in eight games. Pujols has been hampered by a strained left hamstring, an injury that reduced him to DH duties during a weekend series at Texas.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa faced the team he led to four division championships and a World Series championship from 1986-95 for the first time since leaving for St. Louis in '96. This was the first regular-season meeting between teams who last met in the 1931 World Series.

The Athletics entered 18-0 all-time against the NL Central, but three pitchers faced 11 batters in the pivotal seventh. The Cardinals are 14-5 since May 26, and moved to 10 games above .500 for the first time.

Matt Morris (7-5) worked around two-run homers to Damian Miller and Mark Kotsay, allowing four runs on six hits in seven innings. Morris has given up an NL-high 21 homers this season, one more than he allowed last year.

Jason Isringhausen got one out for his 14th save in 17 opportunities.

Anderson is 7-for-18 with four RBIs as a pinch hitter, and his bases-loaded single off Justin Duchscherer with one out in the seventh put the Cardinals ahead 5-4.

Chad Bradford (3-3) issued a one-out walk to Jim Edmonds, and Reggie Sanders singled to put runners on first and third. Ricardo Rincon came in and walked Hector Luna to load the bases. Duchscherer then came in and gave up Anderson's two-run single.

Pinch-hitter Cody McKay, Tony Womack and Edgar Renteria followed with consecutive RBI singles off Duchscherer for an 8-4 lead.

A's starter Barry Zito battled wildness, throwing 115 pitches in five innings.