Pujols, Cards send Braves to 12th loss in 14 games

[August 25, 2008]  ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer and briefly took the lead in the NL batting race over the Braves' Chipper Jones, before falling back by less than a percentage point in the St. Louis Cardinals' 6-3 victory over Atlanta on Sunday.

Pujols was 8-for-10 with two homers and eight RBIs in the series, helping the Cardinals take two of three from the sagging Braves, who have dropped 12 of 14.

Jones, who has led the league virtually the entire season, went ahead of Pujols after doubling in his final at-bat in the eighth to put him at .3594. The fast-climbing Pujols is at .3586 after going 2-for-2 with his major league-leading 29th and 30th intentional walks, plus a third walk on five pitches in the eighth.

Pujols hit his 28th homer in the first, lining a 1-0 fastball down the middle from Jo-Jo Reyes (3-10) into the left field stands. He has 87 RBIs, closing in on his eighth straight 100-RBI season to begin his career.

The lone blemish on Pujols' weekend was taking his time getting to first base after a routine grounder that would have ended the ninth inning with the Cardinals down by a run on Saturday in an 8-4 loss. Second baseman Felipe Lopez, unaccustomed to playing with Pujols, waited until Pujols turned around and then threw late after double-pumping on what was ruled an infield hit by Martin Prado.

Adam Kennedy, the Cardinals' regular second baseman most of the last two years, said players know to throw to the base and not wait for Pujols.

Braden Looper (12-10) worked seven innings for the sixth consecutive time, matching his victory total from 2007 in his first season as a starter, and Brian Barton had three hits and three RBIs in a spot start, helping the Cardinals take two of three.

Rookie Chris Perez got the last four outs for his fifth save in six chances and fifth in a row since his recall earlier this month.

Reyes hit a two-run single in the second for his first career RBIs in 43 at-bats, but didn't fare as well on the mound. He allowed six runs in 5 2-3 innings, five of them earned, and has lost six in a row with a 6.59 ERA over seven starts and a relief appearance since his last win on June 13 over the Angels.

Looper struggled only in the second, when the Braves scored three runs on three hits, a walk and a hit batter to take a 3-2 lead. Reyes immediately gave it up on Barton's two-run single in the bottom of the second. The other six innings, the Braves totaled three hits.

Right fielder Ryan Ludwick squashed the Braves' only other scoring chance when he threw out Jones trying to score from second on Prado's two-out single to end the sixth.

Barton strained a right side muscle legging out a bunt hit in the sixth and was taken out of the game.

Joe Mather added two RBIs for the Cardinals with a sacrifice fly and RBI double.

[Associated Press; By R.B. FALLSTROM]

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