Robinson sparks Cardinals' sweep

ST. LOUIS -- First, the San Diego Padres lost their starter after only 11 pitches. Then they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, again.

Spot starter Kerry Robinson tripled and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and also drove in a run as the Cardinals won 3-1 to complete a three-game sweep Sunday.

Both benches cleared in the first inning when Albert Pujols was hit in the shoulder blade on the first pitch he saw from Adam Eaton, a day after Pujols lingered at the plate following his game-winning, two-run home run in a 9-7, 11-inning victory.

Eaton was immediately ejected, and Pujols, Padres catcher Gary Bennett and San Diego manager Bruce Bochy also were kicked out. During a brief confrontation Pujols punched Bennett in the face.

"Last night he hit the hell out of it and watched it and watched it and watched it," Bennett said. "Look, nice going. Just get around the bases. It irritated a lot of us."

The Padres were livid about the ejection of Eaton because there had been no warning before the game. Eaton said he got tossed after throwing his slowest breaking ball of year, which he said should have made it clear he wasn't trying to hurt anyone.

"I was shocked," Eaton said. "I said 'me?' It was a complete fiasco."

Specifically, they were mad at home plate umpire Mark Carlson.

"It was the worst judgment I've ever seen," Bochy said. "The pitch didn't warrant an ejection. It's irritational, and can't happen."

Pujols wasn't available for comment, leaving for the All-Star game before the game ended. Manager Tony La Russa didn't exactly defend Pujols' actions Saturday night.

"Thirty years ago when Stan (Musial) and Red (Schoendienst) played it would never happen," La Russa said. "But everybody, when you hit a dramatic home run, you make gestures.

"The Padres do it, everybody does it."

The Cardinals are 29-4 against the Padres since the start of the 1999 season and have swept them five of the last six series. St. Louis, the defending NL Central champions, entered the All-Star break at 49-45.

"It's not a great record, but it's in contention and it makes for an exciting second half," La Russa said. "We knew what we did good and we know where we've got to get better.

"We're not fooling ourselves."

Rookie Dan Haren allowed one run in six innings in his third major league start for the Cardinals. La Russa said Haren will remain in the rotation after the All-Star break.

The Cardinals helped Haren by matching their season best with four double plays, two of which began with line drive outs, during his outing.

Right-fielder Robinson, who made his first start since July 4, had a run-scoring groundout in the fourth for the game's first run. He tripled to lead off the seventh off Mike Matthews (3-4) and scored on Mike Matheny's sacrifice fly.

The Padres have lost four of five.

A bobbled grounder by Ryan Klesko handed the Cardinals the first run of the game. He had an easy force at home on Robinson's one-out, bases-load grounder, but dropped the ball after gloving it and ended up only with a play at first.

Three hits off three Cardinals pitchers tied it in the seventh. Sean Burroughs' leadoff single chased Haren, Ramon Vazquez singled off Jeff Fassero with one out and Miguel Ojeda's single off Jason Simontacchi (8-4) drove in the run.

Simontacchi, bumped from the rotation last week, has won the last two games in relief.

Jim Edmonds scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Wilson Delgado, just beating the throw home with a nifty slide.

Jason Isringhausen worked the ninth for his fifth save in six chances. Isringhausen blew his first save of the year on Saturday, allowing a run in the ninth.Noteworthy

***An Edgar Renteria bobblehead doll giveaway attracted a crowd of 48,102, the second straight sellout at Busch Stadium. Renteria was 0-for-4. Saturday night was Camera Day.

***Edmonds singled in the eighth to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.

***Burroughs was 1-for-4 and has reached base in 17 straight games. He's 23-for-63 during that time with two homers, 12 RBIs and 16 runs.