Wainwright's arm, bat lead Cardinals over Brewers 5-4

[April 17, 2008]  ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Adam Wainwright pitched into the eighth inning and homered Wednesday night, helping the St. Louis Cardinals run their home winning streak to seven with a 5-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Albert Pujols contributed with his bat and glove. He hit an early two-run double, then made a leaping catch at first base in the ninth to prevent Milwaukee from tying it.

Rick Ankiel drew an extraordinary 17-pitch walk, Skip Schumaker gave the Cardinals a second homer from an unlikely source and St. Louis matched its longest home winning streak since 2005 at the old Busch Stadium.

Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen took a 5-2 lead into the ninth, but RBI doubles by J.J. Hardy and pinch-hitter Craig Counsell closed the gap with one out. After Pujols ranged to his right to catch Jason Kendall's liner, Isringhausen held on for his sixth save by retiring Rickie Weeks on a comebacker.

St. Louis is 7-1 at home this season, losing only on opening day. The Cardinals' overall 11-4 record is tied with Arizona for the best in the majors.

The Brewers have been held to five runs and 11 hits in two games at St. Louis.

Wainwright (2-1) is the Cardinals' ace while Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder recover from injuries, and has worked at least seven innings in all three of his starts. He retired the first 11 batters in order and allowed one earned run and five hits in 7 2-3 innings.

Wainwright hit his third career homer, connecting for a solo shot off Carlos Villanueva (1-2) for a 3-0 lead in the second. Wainwright also singled and is 4-for-8 with two RBIs this season.

Pujols put St. Louis ahead with his double in the first inning. Ankiel was up next and he battled Villanueva, fouling off 11 pitches -- including seven in a row with a full count -- before walking.

Schumaker's first homer of the season and fourth of his career barely cleared the right-field wall leading off the fifth. It was such a close call, with the ball caroming off an electric sign just above the wall and back onto the field, that Schumaker stopped at second base before getting the go-ahead from the umpires.

Brewers manager Ned Yost and right fielder Corey Hart both protested first-base umpire Dana DeMuth's decisive home run call.

[Associated Press; By R.B. FALLSTROM]

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