Rolen's RBI binge continues in 9-5 win

Tony La Russa had been waiting for these kind of outbursts from the St. Louis batters.

Scott Rolen drove in three runs for the third straight game and the Cardinals got a season-high 18 hits in a 9-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"It's a lot of fun," said catcher Mike Matheny, one of the five Cardinals with three hits. "We just need to keep going with it. Don't get complacent, just see how long we can ride it out."

The Cardinals have scored 28 runs in the last three games and are batting .392 (47-for-120) in that span.

"What I'm seeing right now is some real tough at-bats," La Russa said. "It's what we've been talking about for 4 1/2 months."

The manager mentioned that good pitching usually stops good hitting and suggested the Cardinals' pace might slow suddenly.

"We face (Kip) Wells and (Kris) Benson the next two games," he said. "Let's see how much we're chirping about our offense."

Matt Morris (14-7) pitched eight innings, allowing one run and six hits. He was staked to a 5-0 lead after three innings.

"I thought tonight was as good as I've seen him," Matheny said. "He has the potential to do that every night. It's fun to catch a guy like that because he's pitching, not just throwing."

The Pirates have lost four consecutive games and are a season-worst 15 games under .500.

Isringhausen shuts down late rally

Adam Hyzdu's bases-loaded single capped a four-run ninth for Pittsburgh. Jason Isringhausen got the last out for his 27th save.

La Russa never thought he'd need his closer to get the last three outs in a 9-1 game. But he wound up using four pitchers to get the last three outs after Matt Duff failed to put the game away.

"It should have been a slam dunk for Duff and it wasn't," La Russa said.

Edgar Renteria, Jim Edmonds, Albert Pujols, Matheny and Rolen each had three hits.

Before this recent surge, Rolen had driven in only two runs in his first 11 games since being traded from Philadelphia to the Cardinals on July 29.

"The funny thing is I felt better during my 0-for-20 streak," Rolen said. "That's what was so frustrating about it. It was the best I've felt all season."

Rolen's RBI single followed hits by Renteria and Pujols in the first.

The Cardinals broke the game open with a four-run third against Jimmy Anderson (8-13). Edmonds, Pujols and Rolen started the inning with singles. Eli Marrero doubled in two runs and Matheny had an RBI single.