St. Louis makes it six wins in a row

ST. LOUIS -- Jim Edmonds overcame a sore right ribcage and drove in four runs and threw out a runner at third, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 10-4 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday night.

Edmonds almost didn't start after straining his ribcage muscle during batting practice the previous night, but chose to play -- helping the Cardinals win their sixth in a row.

Albert Pujols went 4-for-5, and the Cardinals had a season-high 19 hits to move nine games over .500. and remain a game behind NL Central-leading Cincinnati.

Lance Berkman drove in four runs on two hits for the Astros, who have lost seven of their last eight against St. Louis.

St. Louis manager Tony La Russa served the second game of a two-game suspension for his confrontation with Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon on Thursday. La Russa watched in street clothes from general manager Walt Jocketty's private box.

La Russa got credit for his 2,041st win, moving him ahead of Walter Alston for sixth place on the career list.

St. Louis starter Jason Marquis (5-4) struck out seven in five innings before being lifted for a pinch-hitter. He allowed 10 hits and four runs.

The Cardinals chased Tim Redding (3-4) in the fifth inning by sending 10 men up and scoring four runs to take a 7-4 lead.

Edgar Renteria drew a leadoff walk, Pujols doubled and Scott Rolen walked to load the bases. Mike Gallo came on in relief and Edmonds laced his first pitch to left-center for a bases-clearing double.

Gallo retired the next two hitters before intentionally walking rookie catcher Yadier Molina. Roger Cedeno pinch-hit for Marquis and drove in Edmonds with a single. After Tony Womack reached on an infield single to load the bases again, Chad Harville relieved Gallo and got Renteria to line out to Jeff Bagwell at first.

St. Louis added two runs in the sixth on RBI singles by John Mabry and Molina. It was Molina's first RBI since being called up Thursday. Womack hit a leadoff homer -- his third hit -- in the seventh off Ricky Stone for a 10-4 lead.

St. Louis scored two runs in the second on four hits, including RBI singles by Mabry and Marquis.

The Astros tied it with two runs in the third on Berkman's two-run single. Craig Biggio and Adam Everett singled and, one out later, Jeff Kent singled to load the bases and extend his career-best hitting streak to 20 games. Berkman followed with his single to center, but Edmonds threw out Kent trying to take third on the play.

Edmonds' two-out single in the third gave St. Louis a 3-2 lead.

Houston went ahead 4-3 with two outs in the fifth on Berkman's two-run double.

Notes: Biggio has 533 doubles, one shy of Lou Gehrig for 25th on the career list. ... After Sunday's game, the two Central Division rivals won't play each other again until September.