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Homer by Pujols gives Cardinals marathon win

Jul 27, 2008 - 5:11 AM By Doug Mittler PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Albert Pujols broke out of a slump to end a long night - and a losing streak for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Pujols belted a two-run homer off Aaron Heilman in the 14th inning Saturday as the Cardinals snapped a five-game skid and cooled off the New York Mets with a 10-8 victory.

Skip Schumaker had a career-high six hits and Pujols - who entered the game in an 0-for-11 drought - tied a personal best with five for the Cardinals, who banged out 21 hits overall.

"It was a real difficult game," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. "We didn't hand it over. It was a real gut check."

The Cardinals overcame yet another blown save by the bullpen and another big night by the Mets' Carlos Delgado, who belted two of New York's four home runs. It was the 45th career multi-homer game and third this season by Delgado, who has eight blasts and 21 RBI this month after a slow start to the season.

Schumaker singled with one out in the 14th before Pujols belted a 2-0 pitch from Heilman (1-4) over the left-center field wall for his 19th homer of the season.

"I got a good pitch and made my best swing of the night," Pujols said. "It was a good win. Games like this can get a club going."

Heilman knew getting behind in the count would cost him.

"I was trying to get back in the count and it was a pitch with poor location," he said.

Schumaker became the first Cardinal to collect six or more hits in a game since Terry Moore on September 5, 1935 against Boston.

"He's a hungry hitter," La Russa said. "He earned every bit of it."

Brad Thompson (3-2) worked the final two innings for the win, ending a game that lasted 5 hours, 9 minutes and featured 37 hits and 16 pitchers.

"This tastes a lot better, especially after the last few games we had," Thompson said.

The Mets (56-48), who lost for just the fourth time in 18 games, saw their lead in the National League East Division over the Philadelphia Phillies (55-49) and Florida Marlins (55-49) shrink to one game.

Former Cardinal Fernando Tatis sent the game into extra innings when he homered off closer Ryan Franklin to lead off the ninth. The blown save was St. Louis' 25th in 53 chances this season and second in as many appearances by Franklin.

Jose Reyes also homered for the Mets, who left runners in scoring position in the 10th, 11th and 12th innings. Each frame ended with a grounder back to the pitcher.

The Mets' Brandon Knight was called up from the minors to start in place of Pedro Martinez, who is on the bereavement list following the death of his father. The 32-year-old righthander was unable to retire any of the first five batters he faced in a four-run first inning but settled down, allowing four runs and seven hits in five frames.

"Maybe I was a little more juiced," Knight said of his last several innings. "I just started to pitch a little more, really thinking about keeping the ball down, mix my pitches. It's amazing what happens when you do that."

Knight, who was named to the United States Olympic Team earlier this month, last pitched in the majors for the New York Yankees in 2002.

St. Louis starter Joel Pineiro lasted just four innings, surrendering five runs and 10 hits.

The Cardinals scored four runs in the sixth to take an 8-5 lead. Pujols, Troy Glaus and Yadier Molina delivered RBI singles before Aaron Miles brought home a run with a double, St. Louis' first extra-base hit after 12 singles.

Delgado hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to cut the deficit to 8-7. He also swatted a solo shot in the third.

It was a shaky start for Knight, and right fielder Endy Chavez made it more difficult for him when he misjudged a long fly ball by Pujols that fell for a single and loaded the bases with none out. Ankiel followed with an RBI single and Glaus drew a walk to force in another run.

Molina lifted a sacrifice fly and Miles added a run-scoring base hit to give St. Louis a 4-0 bulge.

The Mets scored twice in the bottom of the first, when Chavez hit an RBI triple and came home on a groundout by All-Star David Wright. Two innings later, Delgado's homer and a run-scoring double by Tatis tied the game.

Reyes' 12th blast of the year in the fourth gave the Mets their first lead, 5-4.