Woody stuck on nine

The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS -- Rookie Josh Hancock won for the first time as a starter, and Sean Casey drove in three runs to lead the Cincinnati Reds in a 5-4 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night.

The Reds avoided a three-game sweep.

Scott Rolen homered and Albert Pujols doubled twice for St. Louis. The Cardinals rallied for two runs in the ninth inning, but Pujols grounded out with runners on first and second to end it.

The loss was only the third in 14 games for the NL Central leaders, and it also ended their seven-game home winning streak. St. Louis is 13-3 against the Reds.

Woody Williams (9-7) failed in an attempt to give the Cardinals five 10-game winners for the first time since 2000. He struck out 11, one off his career best, but gave up five runs on nine hits in six innings.

Hancock (3-1) was acquired by the Reds from Philadelphia near the trade deadline and joined the rotation after Cory Lidle was traded to the Phillies earlier this month. Making his fifth start in the majors, he lasted 6 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits to a team that totaled 17 runs in the first two games of the series.

Danny Graves, victimized for all but one run in the Cardinals' six-run eighth on Wednesday, worked the ninth for his 37th save in 46 chances.

Graves gave up an RBI triple to pinch-hitter Tony Womack and an RBI single to Marlon Anderson. After a two-out walk to Larry Walker -- who hit a grand slam off Graves the previous night -- Pujols chopped a grounder to third base.

Wily Mo Pena homered, and the Reds also had four doubles against Williams, who lost for the first time in 12 starts. He had been 6-0 with a 2.58 ERA in the previous 11 outings.

The Reds jumped on Williams for two runs in the first and added two runs on three hits in the second inning. The Reds moved ahead 4-0 on Casey's two-run single.

Rolen hit his 29th homer in the fourth and Pena answered with his 22nd for the Reds in the fifth.