St. Louis sweeps Reds

ST. LOUIS -- All-Star shortstop Barry Larkin's second error of the season led to the go-ahead run, and Reggie Sanders' seventh-inning single sent the St. Louis Cardinals past the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 Wednesday night.

Jim Edmonds homered for the second straight game to help the Cardinals complete their seventh sweep, and third in the last four series. The NL Central leaders are a season-best 20 games above .500 and 6-0 on the homestand with three games to go, outscoring their opponents 34-10.

The Cardinals swept the Reds in a three-game series at home for the first time since May 1987. They're 5-1 against Cincinnati, which had a home run from Brandon Larson.

In the seventh, Edgar Renteria went to second on Larkin's wide throw to first that deflected off Juan Castro's glove, the second error in 58 games at the position for the 12-time All-Star. With one out, Sanders bounced a single up the middle off John Riedling (4-2) to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead.

Larkin also rolled in a relay throw to the plate on Renteria's RBI double in the first.

Tony Womack added an RBI double, his third hit of the game, in the eighth off Todd Jones to make it 4-2.

Ray King (2-0) recorded the last two outs in the seventh and the first out in the eighth. Jason Isringhausen worked a perfect ninth for his 20th save in 24 chances.

Womack led off the bottom of the first with an infield hit and scored on Renteria's double to give the Cardinals the lead.

Edmonds had been 1-for-8 against Jesus Sanchez before hitting his 18th homer, and second in two days, to put the Cardinals ahead 2-1 in the fourth.

Cardinals starter Woody Williams walked a season-high six but allowed just two runs in 6 1/3 innings.