The way Kyle Lohse is pitching at the moment, the St. Louis right-hander doesn’t need much run support to win.

The same goes for Pittsburgh’s Erik Bedard.

Only Lohse, however, has the luxury of playing on the team with the National League’s best offense. It made all the difference Sunday.

Lohse scattered six hits while pitching into the eighth inning to lead the Cardinals past the Pirates 5-1.

David Freese had a two-run single for the St. Louis and Rafael Furcal had three hits as the Cardinals extended their strong start behind another superb outing from Lohse (3-0), who struck out five without issuing a walk even though his ERA actually ticked up from 0.89 to 0.99.

“Man he’s unreal,” Freese said of Lohse. “I’ve heard other guys say that when he hits his spots, he’s one of the toughest in the game to string some hits together. And he’s showing it, for sure.”

So is Bedard, who was again undone by a lack of run support.

The left-hander gave up three runs on six hits, walking four and striking out seven in seven innings but it wasn’t enough to keep his record from calling to 0-4. The Pirates have scored three times with Bedard on the mound this season.

“All you can do is battle,” Bedard said. “Runs will come and right now they’re just not coming. You keep doing what you can and put zeroes up there.”

Lohse improved to 8-2 in his career against Pittsburgh, having his way with baseball’s worst offense. His only mistake came in the eighth, when Michael McKenry led off with a double and scored on Casey McGehee’s pinch-hit single to trim St. Louis’ lead to 3-1.

Mitchell Boggs came on in relief and quickly shut the door. Nate McLouth flied to left and Boggs held onto Jose Tabata’s sharp grounder back to the mound to start an inning-ending double play.

The Cardinals tacked on two runs in the ninth off Evan Meek for the final margin.

Bedard, as he has in each of his starts, kept the Pirates in it despite a rocky first inning in which the Cardinals loaded the bases with no outs, just as they did against A.J. Burnett on Saturday night.

Burnett, however, settled down and escaped the inning unscathed. Bedard wasn’t quite so fortunate, giving up a run when Carlos Beltran hit into a double play.

St. Louis made it 3-0 in the third when Furcal led off with a double and Tyler Greene walked. Bedard managed to get through Matt Holliday and Beltran and came within a strike of getting out of the jam before Freese lined a sharp single to right.

The hit ended a 1-for-25 funk by the Cardinals with runners in scoring position.

“I didn’t even know it was that bad,” Freese said. “But you feel it a little. You definitely understand what’s happening, what’s been going on.”

Bedard didn’t give up another hit over his final four innings, but once again it wasn’t enough in yet another nip-tuck game for the Pirates.

Though Pittsburgh has been anemic at the plate — coming in with a team batting average of .203, easily the worst in the majors — the Pirates have remained competitive thanks to a pitching staff that ranks third in the NL in ERA (2.53).

Pittsburgh hasn’t scored more than five runs or given up more than five runs in a game this season, the longest such streak to start a year in the NL since the 1965 Pirates.

That team shook off a 6-10 start to finish 90-72 and featured three Hall of Famers in Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and Bill Mazeroski.

This version of the Pirates lacks that kind of star power, and will need to find some offense eventually if it wants to be a factor this summer.

“We’ve scored (three) runs in Erik’s starts,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s problematic.”

The Cardinals have no such worries. The defending World Series champions are the National League’s top offensive team despite losing slugger Albert Pujols in the offseason.

St. Louis has outscored its opponents by 36 runs through the season’s first two weeks, the most in the NL and have won each of its first six series of the season.

“That’s what you try to do, you try to win series,” Freese said. “You want to sweep, but that’s obviously not going to happen all the time. Consistency, that’s the name of this game, and we’re doing that pretty well right now.”

— Associated Press —

A detour to the bullpen has made Lance Lynn a better starting pitcher.

Lynn allowed only an inside-the-park homer to Alex Presley in seven innings, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Filling in nicely for injured ace Chris Carpenter, Lynn (3-0) gave up four hits. He walked one and struck out four. He has won each of his starts this season and compiled a 1.42 ERA, while Carpenter has been on the disabled list with a nerve problem in his pitching shoulder. Lynn pitched primarily in relief last season as a rookie when St. Louis won the World Series.

“What I did when they moved me to the bullpen last year was challenge hitters, get ahead in the count and make them hit my pitch,” Lynn said. “When I was starting, I tried to nitpick. I’d get behind in the count and have to give the hitters good pitches to hit. I learned a lot from pitching out of the bullpen. I’m more aggressive and more confident now as a starter.”

Lynn showed that aggressive approach against Pittsburgh as he needed just 88 pitches to get through seven innings. He allowed four hits and one walk while striking out four.

“Efficient is the right word,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said in describing Lynn’s outing. “He had good life on the ball and later in the game he really mixed in all his pitches. He had a good tempo, a good rhythm with (catcher Yadier Molina). He really kept them off balance.”

Presley led off the bottom of the first with a drive off the top of the center field fence, the ball just eluding a leaping center fielder Skip Schumaker. Jack Wilson hit the Pirates’ only other inside-the-park home run at PNC Park on July 2, 2004, and the last Pittsburgh player to hit one was Freddy Sanchez at Houston on July 21, 2008.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Presley said. “I thought I had a triple for sure, and when I saw him miss it, I think he got hurt out there and couldn’t get up, that helped my chances a bunch. It was one of those things.”

Schumaker, who said he thought he would be able to play Saturday, was shaken up on the play and left the game. He had been activated from the disabled list prior to the game after missing the first 13 games because of a strained right oblique.

“Obviously it was not the debut I was looking for,” Schumaker said with a half-smile. “First of all, I should of caught the ball. Second of all, I couldn’t breathe. Coming off an oblique injury and getting your ribs rattled wasn’t something you wanted to do. They pulled me as a precautionary measure. I felt I could have stayed in but it is what it is.”

Jose Tabata followed Presley’s homer with a single but Pittsburgh never put a runner in scoring position.

“You get an inside-the-park homer and drop a single to the next guy and we ended up with two more (hits) the rest of the night,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “It was another strong outing for (Lynn). You have to take the barrel to him. He doesn’t seem like he’s going to hurt himself.”

Lynn also scored the go-ahead run on Carlos Beltran’s two-out single in the fifth inning off Charlie Morton (0-1).

Daniel Descalso homered for the NL Central-leading Cardinals, who won for the fifth time in six games.

Morton allowed two runs — one earned — and four hits in five innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

Mitchell Boggs and Jason Motte, who notched his third save in three tries, each pitched a hitless inning to complete the four-hitter for St. Louis.

After St. Louis tied it in the second inning on Molina’s RBI double, Lynn led off the fifth with a single. He took second on Rafael Furcal’s groundout, advanced to third on Matt Holliday’s fielder’s choice and scored on Beltran’s line hit to right field.

Descalso homered — a liner into the right-field stands — in the eighth off Jared Hughes to start a two-run inning. Furcal added a run-scoring double.

— Associated Press —

It was a day of firsts for several Cincinnati Reds hitters. And another day to forget for Adam Wainwright.

Brandon Phillips homered for his first RBI of the season and Drew Stubbs homered for his first extra-base hit Thursday as the Reds backed soft-tossing Bronson Arroyo’s eight innings and broke loose for a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals that averted a three-game sweep.

“It’s been so long since we played a game like that,” manager Dusty Baker said. “I’m just glad our offense got clicking.”

Ryan Ludwick also homered for the Reds, who had connected just once in their previous nine games and began the day with a .211 batting average.

The Reds picked on Wainwright (0-3), a 20-game winner in 2010 coming off reconstructive elbow surgery that sidelined him all of 2011.

Wainwright is winless in his first three decisions for the first time in his career. He allowed multiple home runs in consecutive starts for just the second time ever.

“His velocity is a little bit down,” Ludwick said. “I feel like we were able to take advantage of it a little bit and in that scenario, you’ve got to. When he’s on, when he gets back to 100 percent, he’s one of those guys that sometimes you’re lucky to get one run against.”

Though he said it was a “valid question” to ask whether the comeback had been a lot tougher than he had anticipated, Wainwright added, “I’m just in a funk.”

“You can say whatever you want to about surgery and all that,” he said. “My arm feels fine, I’m just not throwing great.”

Wainwright allowed four runs in five innings, leaving him with a 9.88 ERA. He thought his fastball had more life and that his curveball also was improved, but “my cutter was brutal, and that’s what both home runs were on.”

Phillips hit his first homer since Sept. 20 against the Astros, a span of 53 at-bats, and earned his first RBI in 40 at-bats. Stubbs was 3 for 5 and the homer was his first extra-base hit in 50 at-bats.

Ludwick’s two-run homer was the Reds’ second in a span of three at-bats in the fourth. Stubbs hit his first off Victor Marte in the seventh.

Matt Holliday’s three-run homer in the sixth was the only damage against Arroyo (1-0), who struck out five and walked none while scattering five hits. Arroyo threw just 90 pitches.

“He doesn’t throw any fastballs on fastball counts,” Holliday said. “He mixes it up, slow, slow and slower, and then he’ll sneak his fastball in there. He had us off-balance.”

Joey Votto added an RBI single in the Reds ninth off Fernando Salas. Sean Marshall struck out the side after allowing a leadoff hit in the ninth for his second save in second chances.

Cardinals center fielder Jon Jay left after the seventh with a sprained right shoulder after bumping into the wall trying to snare Stubbs’ homer. Jay said X-rays showed no significant damage and said he was day to day.

“I was about to make my jump and just miscalculated my steps,” Jay said. “It’s not too bad. Tomorrow is going to be a bigger day.”

Earlier Thursday, general manager John Mozeliak said first baseman Lance Berkman would be placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left calf injury. The Cardinals plan on activating utilityman Skip Schumaker from the 15-day disabled list from a pulled right side muscle sustained in spring training.

“If you can’t run, you can’t play,” Berkman said after the game. “It’s not really that tough of a decision.”

Phillips got his RBI with one out in the third, Jay Bruce followed with a single and Ludwick hit the next pitch beyond the visitor’s bullpen.

Arroyo allowed two hits the first five innings, but the Cardinals opened the sixth with three straight hits. Rafael Furcal and Jay singled before Holliday, who had been 3 for 26 on the homestand, hit his third homer to cut the deficit to 4-3.

The NL Central-leading Cardinals are 9-4. A sweep over the Reds would have given the franchise its best start to the season since it was 13-3 in 1982, a World Series title year.

— Associated Press —

The St. Louis Cardinals’ other Carpenter is fast making a name for himself.

Rookie Matt Carpenter, no relation to injured pitcher Chris Carpenter, made his first Opening Day roster because of Skip Schumaker’s spring training injury. He’s getting a chance to play because Lance Berkman and David Freese have been nursing minor injuries.

When those guys come back, at the very least the Cardinals will have a very valuable bench piece.

“Berkman’s, he’s in there joking, ‘We found our first baseman,'” manager Mike Matheny said. “It’s a great reward when you see somebody work as hard as Matt did.”

The rookie homered, tripled and drove in five runs, backing strong pitching from Jake Westbrook in a 10-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

“The boy can swing it, there’s no doubt about it,” Cubs outfielder Joe Mather said. “Looks like he’s here to stay.”

Cubs starter Paul Maholm (0-2) surrendered six runs in four innings. The left-hander is 0-7 with a 7.03 ERA in nine starts since his last win on July 10, 2011 against the Cubs when he was with Pittsburgh.

“I couldn’t tell you the last time I won,” Maholm said. “So my goal is to go out there and go seven innings and win the game no matter how the outing before went or whether it was good or bad, and that’s what I’m going to expect next week when I take it.”

The 26-year-old Carpenter is batting .409 with 10 RBIs in 22 at-bats, following up on success in spring training when he led the team with 25 hits. He singled his first two trips with an RBI, belted a two-run shot to straightaway center off Lendy Castillo in the fifth for his first career homer and added a two-run triple off Rodrigo Lopez in the seventh.

“We’ve got some guys dinged up, so the opportunty’s there, I’m just trying to make the most of it,” Carpenter said. “I couldn’t tell you if I would have dreamed of having a day like this.

“You’re just up there trying to grind it out and I was fortunate to have a pretty successful day.”

Berkman missed the weekend series with a strained left calf but did some running Sunday and could be back Tuesday when the Cardinals open a three-game series against the Reds. Freese also could be back from an injured right ring finger, but outfielder Carlos Beltran was taken out in the sixth, four innings after he was hit by a pitch on the right forearm when he had trouble throwing.

“They both came in swearing up and down that Tuesday’s their day, so we’ll see what happens,” Matheny said.

Yadier Molina hit a three-run homer in the third and has six RBIs the last three games. Plus he threw out Marlon Byrd attempting to steal in the third.

Westbrook (2-0) allowed one earned run in seven strong innings, following up on his debut in which he gave up an unearned run in seven innings at Cincinnati. He dropped 20 pounds in the offseason after a disappointing 2011 in which he went 12-9 but with a 4.66 ERA and was virtually unused in the Cardinals’ World Series championship run.

Westbrook pounded his sinker for 12 ground ball outs, and allowed four hits. He threw first-pitch strikes to nine of his first 11 batters.

“That’s how I’m able to be successful, when I get ahead and control some counts,” Westbrook said. “Just keeping the hitters on their toes.”

Reed Johnson had two hits and an RBI for the Cubs, who scored their second run on a wild pitch. They were outscored 15-4 the last two games after hammering Adam Wainwright in St. Louis’ home opener for a 9-5 victory.

Westbrook allowed an unearned run in seven innings in his first start at Cincinnati. He’s gotten plenty of support, with St. Louis scoring 17 runs his first two outings.

The Cardinals needed one hit to score twice in the second, with Carlos Beltran hit by a pitch and Molina walking setting the table to start the inning. Carpenter followed with an RBI single and Shane Robinson beat out the relay on a double play ball for a run-scoring groundout.

Rafael Furcal had been 0-for-12 before doubling to start a four-run third capped by Molina’s homer.

After two starts, Maholm is saddled with an unsightly 13.50 ERA.

“It wasn’t real pretty again,” manager Dale Sveum said. “I just think he’s got to keep the sinker down.

“For the most part, the command and making the pitch when you had to make the pitch, he hasn’t been able to do that so far.”

The Cardinals are 12-6 against the Cubs the last two seasons and 8-2 at home.

— Associated Press —

A handful of Chicago Cubs players were on the field warming up during the St. Louis Cardinals’ pre-game ceremony honoring the World Series champions, watching as the team’s four title trophies were brought onto the field.

“The other 29 teams that aren’t getting one, you’re jealous of the fact somebody else is getting one,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said.

Sveum has asked every player on his roster to attend the Cardinals’ ring ceremony on Saturday, too, and show their respect. It’s the least they can do after hammering Adam Wainwright and spoiling St. Louis’ home opener with a rain-soaked 9-5 victory on Friday.

Ian Stewart hit a three-run homer in the first inning, Bryan LaHair later connected for his first career grand slam, and Starlin Castro had three hits, a walk, RBI and steal for the Cubs. Chicago has scored 17 runs the last two games after totaling 19 runs in the first six.

“You can’t say enough about our lineup today,” starter Jeff Samardzija said.

Wainwright’s first start at home since Sept. 19, 2010, was a total mess from the get-go and tied his worst ever from a statistical standpoint — eight earned runs in just three innings.

“I felt disappointed for me, but I felt more disappointed for all the fans that showed up today,” Wainwright said. “I really felt that I did not deliver what they came to see. I know that I will, but I didn’t do it today. I have regrets about that.”

That his outing unraveled moments after some pregame pomp and circumstance that featured 91-year-old Hall of Famer Stan Musial waving from a golf cart to fans who gave him a standing ovation, and that a standing room crowd waited patiently through a rain delay of one hour and 44 minutes before it began only magnified the failure.

Clad in red sportcoats, fellow Hall of Famers Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Red Schoendienst, Whitey Herzog, Ozzie Smith and Bruce Sutter toured the Busch Stadium warning track on the back of flatbed trucks. The franchise showed off all four World Series trophies, held by members of the 1967, 1982 and 2006 and 2011 teams.

Jim Edmonds and David Eckstein came out together with the ’06 trophy.

“I let Jimmy carry it,” Eckstein said. “He’s the one with the good hands.”

Players got the same treatment, accompanied by an endless rendition of the Budweiser beer song. There was a moment of silence for former star pitcher Bob Forsch as a bald eagle circled the field, and two F-16s did a flyover.

Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan, the manager and pitching coach who guided the team to a pair of titles in 16 seasons, got huge ovations.

“Even in the weather the fans showed up and they were loud,” new manager Mike Matheny said. “There was a buzz all through the stadium.”

Then the Cubs, who were introduced to mild booing, took over. Stewart’s early homer and the slam by LaHair in the third benefited Samardzija (2-0), who gave up 10 hits and barely qualified for the decision after the Cardinals scored five runs in the fifth.

“That’s obviously not the start you want to have, five and dive,” Samardzija said. “But you can do that when your offense goes out and puts up nine.”

Matt Carpenter had a two-run triple and Jon Jay, David Freese and Yadier Molina each had an RBI in the fifth. Freese came up short in two earlier at-bats, striking out with two on to end the first and tapping out with two on to end the third.

Wainwright (0-2) made his second start since coming off reconstructive elbow surgery that sidelined him all last season. He was in trouble after just nine pitches after David DeJesus doubled, Darwin Barney singled and Castro hit an RBI single. With one out, Stewart barely cleared the wall in left-center for his first homer since Aug. 23, 2010, off the Braves’ Tim Hudson.

Wainwright worked a perfect second but four consecutive Cubs reached with one out in the third, capped by LaHair’s grand slam for an 8-0 cushion. LaHair, who has two homers, led all minor leaguers with 38 last year for Triple-A Iowa.

That was just about it for Wainwright, who matched a career worst with eight earned runs allowed. He also gave up eight on May 15, 2007, at the Los Angeles Dodgers. He allowed nine runs at Milwaukee on Sept. 24, 2007, with just four earned.

Wainwright’s previous low point at home was May 5, 2009, when he surrendered seven earned runs in six innings. Before Friday, Wainwright’s 2.46 home ERA since 2006 had been the best among major league starters, and his 34 wins are the most at 7-year-old Busch Stadium.

After the first two starts this season, Wainwright’s ERA is 11.42. The Cubs’ two four-run innings were the first he’s allowed since Sept. 4, 2009, at Pittsburgh when he gave up six runs in the fifth inning.

“That’s not the Adam we’ve seen through spring training,” Matheny said. “His off-speed stuff wasn’t there, he wasn’t sharp, they came out swinging the bats well.”

— Associated Press —

Joey Votto snapped out of a slump, and so did the Cincinnati Reds.

Votto tied a career best with four hits and scored the go-ahead run on pinch-hitter Chris Heisey’s ninth-inning single, capping a comeback from a three-run deficit and leading the Reds over the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 Wednesday.

The Reds avoided a three-game sweep by the defending World Series champions, who won just one of six games in Cincinnati last season. The Reds went 3-3 on their opening homestand and headed off for an 11-day, 10-game trip.

“I don’t think salvage is a fair word,” said Votto, who entered with a .188 average. “We’re just trying to find some momentum. It would’ve been pretty frustrating to go on the road if we hadn’t won this game. The Cardinals played well. They’ve got a good team. They won the World Series. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, and they’re certainly in the way.”

Votto doubled off Marc Rzepczynski (0-1) leading off the ninth for the 10th four-hit game of his career. Ryan Ludwick was intentionally walked, Jay Bruce struck out, Fernando Salas relieved and Heisey lined a single to left.

“There was no doubt, right off the bat,” Heisey said. “It was a good feeling to get the barrel of the bat on it.”

Heisey’s hit was Cincinnati’s 14th. The Reds came in batting .201, and manager Dusty Baker said he was confident his offense would pick up.

“You just don’t know when they’re going to start hitting the ball,” Baker said. “It was sure nice to see them come around today. That was a big win for us to end the homestand well and not get too far behind. I know it’s early, but you don’t want to get too far behind.”

Aroldis Chapman (2-0), groomed as a starter during spring training before injuries forced the Reds to keep him in the bullpen, struck out five in two scoreless innings.

“I feel great,” Chapman said through an interpreter. “I prefer to be a starter, but they decided to put me back in the bullpen, and I’m happy with that. That’s my job — to hold the other team and let my team get back in the game.”

Reds starter Johnny Cueto gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings.

Down 3-0 in the third against Jaime Garcia, the Reds tied the score in the fifth. Garcia, 6-1 against the Reds, allowed three runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

“I wasn’t the best,” Garcia said. “I was battling. It’s part of the game. I don’t want to make excuses. They have a good lineup. I was getting ahead, but I wasn’t putting them away. I have to work on that in my next bullpen.”

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny believed his players were a little overmatched against Cueto, especially with regulars Lance Berkman, David Freese and Carlos Beltran getting the day off. Freese, last year’s World Series Most Valuable Player, struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth, ending his season-opening hitting streak at six games.

“We tried to steal one there,” Matheny said. “We tried to grind it out. Cueto is a tough customer, but we put together some good at-bats. Jaime made too many mistakes up in the zone. He’s a touch-and-feel guy, and when he doesn’t feel it, he has trouble. Under different circumstances, he could have gone longer, but he had a rough fifth inning. His pitch count was OK, but he labored with them.”

St. Louis took a 3-0 lead in the third on Garcia’s two-out single, Rafael Furcal’s RBI triple into the right-field corner and Jon Jay’s two-run homer, his first home run this season.

Votto doubled in a run in the third, when Garcia escaped a two-on, no-outs jam by striking out Ludwick and Jay, then retiring Miguel Cairo on a groundout. Votto’s double gave the Reds seven hits, matching their total in the first two games on the series.

Bruce’s sacrifice fly and Wilson Valdez’s run-scoring bunt single tied the score in the fifth.

— Associated Press —

They lead the majors in homers. Their starting rotation is one of the NL’s best. So far, the defending World Series champion Cardinals don’t seem to miss Albert Pujols all that much.

Carlos Beltran and David Freese homered again on Tuesday night, and Kyle Lohse provided another stingy performance, leading St. Louis to a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cardinals are off to a 5-1 start for the first time since 2008, playing like champions in the season’s first week. No letup at all.

“If those guys keep doing that, we’re going to have a pretty good club,” first-year manager Mike Matheny said.

Beltran, counted on to help make up for the loss of Pujols, hit his third homer off Mike Leake (0-1). Freese, the World Series MVP, added a two-run shot off Leake — also his third.

St. Louis came into the game leading the majors with nine homers. It has five in its first two games at Great American Ball Park, which is one of the majors’ most homer-friendly places.

But it’s the pitching that’s getting the most plaudits.

Lohse (2-0) has made impressive starts in Florida’s summery warmth and Cincinnati’s April chill. He took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of a 4-1 win in Miami last Wednesday, allowing only one run and two hits.

With temperatures in the 40s on Tuesday night, he was in control again, allowing Joey Votto’s sacrifice fly and four hits in six innings. Lohse took a little while to adjust to the vastly different conditions in his second start.

“It’s tough,” Lohse said. “You’re not going to get the same feel of the ball. You get a feel for what the ball is going to do. It was cold and a little windy.”

Mitchell Boggs and Jason Motte retired the last nine batters in order, with Motte getting his second save in two chances.

The Cardinals rotation has been sensational so far, going 5-1 with a 1.86 ERA.

“Thank you!” Freese said. “It’s unbelievable. We’re going to win a ton of games when our starters are doing that.”

The Reds handed out another big contract before the game, giving second baseman Brandon Phillips a deal through 2017 worth $72.5 million. It came only five days after Votto got an additional 10 years and $225 million, looking to turn the 2010 NL Central champions into a consistent contender.

Phillips got a cramp in his left hamstring during a 7-1 loss to the Cardinals on Monday night and is expected to miss several days.

For the second game in a row, the Cardinals got to a Reds starter before he could break a sweat. They hit three homers in the first inning off Homer Bailey on Monday night.

Beltran hit Leake’s fifth pitch into the stands in right field. Leake escaped another big Cardinals first inning by getting Yadier Molina to ground into a double play with the bases loaded. Molina also grounded into a double play with two runners aboard in the eighth.

Lance Berkman, who has the most homers by a visiting player at Great American, tripled into the right-field corner in the sixth. Freese followed with his third homer, a drive that bounced off the top of the wall in right field and caromed up into the stands.

Leake thinks the Cardinals are just as formidable without Pujols, who left as a free agent for the Angels after the World Series championship.

“It’s still a difficult lineup,” Leake said. “They lost a big name, but they’re still a threat.”

Berkman left the game in the eighth with tightness in his left calf, which started bothering him after he ran out his triple.

Zack Cozart hit his second triple of the season in the bottom of the inning and scored on Votto’s sacrifice fly, making it 3-1.

— Associated Press —

With Albert Pujols gone, the St. Louis Cardinals see themselves as less of a power-driven team defending their World Series championship.

Could’ve fooled Homer Bailey.

Matt Holliday, David Freese and Yadier Molina homered off the Reds starter during the St. Louis Cardinals’ biggest first inning of the season, and Jake Westbrook found his control after a rough start, beating Cincinnati 7-1 on Monday night.

The Cardinals improved to 4-1 with an offense that hasn’t missed Pujols so far. They’ve piled up three homers in an inning twice already this season, with nine overall.

And they’ve done it without really trying.

“I don’t see us as very much of a home run-hitting team,” Freese said.

Manager Mike Matheny sees the homer spurt as more of a good start than the start of a trend.

“That’s a tough pace to keep up, but you take ’em when you can get ’em,” Matheny said. “Guys are having some good at-bats.”

Only 20 pitches into the game, Bailey (0-1) had his hands on his hips and a 4-0 deficit that the Reds couldn’t overcome. Molina broke the game open with a two-run double in the eighth inning.

Westbrook (1-0) overcame an early bout of wildness, allowing only three hits and one unearned run in seven innings. The right-hander slimmed down in the offseason and had an impressive spring training, getting the sink back on his fastball.

Both starters had a rough time early on a windy, 64-degree evening. Matheny said the Cardinals batting-practice pitchers had trouble getting a grip on the ball in the crisp conditions.

“I know exactly what was going on with him early,” Matheny said. “That’s the first time we’ve had that really dry air. The ball felt like it has Vaseline on it. He couldn’t grip it.”

Westbrook was pitching for the first time in nine days. Ten of his first 12 pitches were out of the strike zone. He walked four of the first 10 batters he faced, but didn’t allow a hit until Brandon Phillips singled with two outs in the fifth.

Phillips came around to score when Zack Cozart hit a comebacker that Westbrook knocked down with his glove. Westbrook retrieved the ball, but threw wildly toward first base for an error that allowed Phillips to score.

The All-Star second baseman got a cramp in his left hamstring as he scored and left the game as a precaution.

Westbrook got a better feel for his pitches after the second inning.

“It took me a little while to get going,” he said. “Once I figured it out, I pitched the way I’m capable of throwing. I just zoned it in.”

Bailey retired the first two Cardinals, then came apart. Holliday homered, Lance Berkman walked and Freese homered. Molina also homered on the next pitch, prompting Bailey to stand by the side of the mound with both hands scrunched on his hips in disbelief.

Freese, the World Series MVP, has hit safely in every game this season.

“I just got a little passive,” Bailey said. “I got the two quick outs and I didn’t say aggressive. Once you open that can of worms, it’s kind of hard to shut it. Plus the wind was blowing out. After that, I just wanted to go deep into the game. A couple of the balls they hit out were hit really solid.”

After the bad opening inning, Bailey settled in and allowed only two more hits while pitching into the sixth inning. Molina broke the game open with his double off Jose Arredondo in the eighth, which brought boos from the crowd of 16,909 that remembers his role in a brawl with Phillips two years ago.

Berkman wasn’t in the Cardinals’ original lineup because of a sore right hand. He took a few swings pregame and felt fine, getting back in the lineup at first base. He singled, struck out twice and walked twice.

The Cardinals wanted Berkman in the lineup — he has 23 homers at Great American Ball Park, the most by a visiting player.

— Associated Press —

With a dominant performance against a division rival, Lance Lynn gave the St. Louis Cardinals a big reason to believe they can count on him to help make up for Chris Carpenter’s absence.

Lynn pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning and the Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-3 on Sunday, taking two out of three games in the series.

It was the third career start for Lynn (1-0), who played a key relief role during the Cardinals’ championship run last season. The 24-year-old right-hander was added to the rotation after Carpenter went on the disabled list with a nerve ailment in his throwing shoulder this spring.

“It’s still early, so hopefully I can build off what I did today and keep pitching well,” Lynn said. “Hopefully it gives us confidence that with Carp out for the time that he’s out, we can still win ballgames, and they have confidence in me.”

Ryan Braun hit his first home run of the year for the Brewers, a solo shot with the game well out of reach in the ninth.

“No matter who’s healthy and who’s not, they’ll find a way to put together five starters who can consistently keep them in games,” Braun said.

Beyond Corey Hart’s solo homer — his third home run in two days — the Brewers couldn’t muster much of anything when Lynn was in the game.

Manager Mike Matheny said the Cardinals aren’t the same team without Carpenter, but Lynn’s performance was just about the best they could hope for under the circumstances.

“We know what (Carpenter) brings to this team,” Matheny said. “But when the game deals you what it deals you, you hope somebody steps up.”

Lynn said he’s comfortable as a starter because he has been one for most of his career.

“Relieving was fun and I enjoyed it because I got to pitch in a lot of big situations and big games,” Lynn said. “That’s always fun, as a competitor you enjoy those situations, enjoy those challenges. I see this as a new challenge.”

Lynn gave up one run and struck out eight, a career high, while walking only one in 6 2/3 innings. He also picked Braun off first base to end the first and singled in the fourth for his first career hit.

“I got lucky, I guess,” Lynn said.

Carlos Beltran hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals, his second of the season. Shane Robinson added a three-run shot in the ninth, the first homer of his career.

Randy Wolf (0-1) threw 108 pitches in five innings for the Brewers, giving up three runs and nine hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.

Matheny made several lineup changes for Sunday’s game, starting Tyler Greene at second base, Matt Carpenter at first, Tony Cruz at catcher and Robinson in center field. Even without a few of their regular players, the Cardinals managed to give Wolf some trouble.

“That does take a lot off of the long haul of the season, being able to have those days where you can throw that lineup out there and know they’re going to be able to put up some runs,” Matheny said.

Matt Holliday gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead in the first when he doubled to center and Rafael Furcal scored from first on a high throw home by Rickie Weeks. The Cardinals added another run in the fourth, when Furcal delivered a two-out RBI single.

Wolf gave up another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Freese, but he limited the damage by striking out Robinson with runners on first and second to end the inning.

Hart then homered off Lynn in the bottom of the fifth. Beltran homered off reliever Marco Estrada in the seventh, giving the Cardinals a 5-1 lead.

With Milwaukee trailing 6-1 in the eighth, Alex Gonzalez hit an RBI double to cut the deficit to four.

Brewers closer John Axford made his first appearance of the season in the ninth but was taken out of the game after back-to-back walks. Kameron Loe came in and gave up a three-run homer to Robinson.

Robinson had to bargain with the fan who caught the ball to get it back as a souvenir. Although the fan was asking for more, they settled on a ball autographed by some of the Cardinals’ veteran players.

“Hopefully, he was happy with that,” Robinson said, holding the ball in his hand. “But I really appreciated that he gave it up.”

— Associated Press —

A year ago, the Milwaukee Brewers had to get by without Zack Greinke or Corey Hart early in the season because of injuries. The importance of having both players healthy right away certainly showed on Saturday.

Hart homered twice, Greinke pitched four-hit ball for seven innings and the Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0.

“It makes a difference,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. “Last year, we didn’t have those two guys together for quite a while.”

Rickie Weeks homered while Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Gomez added RBI doubles for the Brewers, who rebounded after dropping Friday’s opener. Ryan Braun had a pair of doubles and drew a walk after going 0 for 5 on Friday.

Greinke (1-0) continued the dominant form he showed at Miller Park all last season. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out seven.

“That’s as good as it gets,” Roenicke said. “That’s what we saw in spring training.”

Greinke started last season on the disabled list after fracturing a rib in a pickup basketball game, and acknowledged that it took him a while to find his form. After a full spring training, that doesn’t appear to be a problem this year.

Greinke’s strong outing overshadowed the long-awaited return to the mound for the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, who missed all of the 2011 season after having elbow surgery.

Wainwright (0-1) went 5 2/3 innings, giving up four hits and three runs with a walk and six strikeouts. It was his first regular-season start since Sept. 24, 2010, a span of 563 days.

“There’s ways to be more efficient out there, especially today,” Wainwright said. “You never want to fall behind as many times as I did early on today. Really nothing besides Corey Hart, nothing really hurt me, but that’s a bad habit to get into.”

Hart led off the second with a monster home run, so deep that left fielder Matt Holliday didn’t even move when the ball came off the bat.

Not bad for a guy who had surgery on his right knee a month ago.

“The trainers gave me a lot to do, and I did it,” Hart said. “I didn’t want to back down from anything. I told them to kind of push me to see if I could, because I wanted to be here.”

Wainwright settled down until the sixth, when he allowed a leadoff single to Weeks, then committed a throwing error that allowed Nyjer Morgan to reach first on a sacrifice bunt attempt.

Wainwright then got Braun to hit into a double play, sending Weeks to third. Ramirez doubled off the wall in left-center field, scoring Weeks to give the Brewers a 2-0 lead.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny lifted Wainwright in favor of Victor Marte, and Hart pounced on a pitch for a two-run homer to center and a 4-0 lead. It was the 12th multi-homer game of Hart’s career.

“I think it was big for us to come back today and show that we’re still a good team, and I think we did that,” Hart said. “Tomorrow will be the rubber match, but I think they know going forward, and we know going forward, they’re a good team and we’re a good team and it’s going to be a battle all year.”

Greinke was lifted after seven. Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless eighth and Jose Veras closed out the ninth for Milwaukee. Roenicke said he had “no thoughts” about letting Greinke go for a complete game so early in the season.

Greinke noted that the back end of the Brewers’ bullpen is so good with Rodriguez and closer John Axford that complete-game chances could be hard to come by.

“It’s going to be tough to get to eight all year,” Greinke said.

Greinke was unbeatable at home for the Brewers last season, going 11-0 with a 3.13 ERA in 15 home starts during the regular season, and getting a win in the playoffs.

Greinke can become a free agent at the end of the season, making his future a critical question for the Brewers. General manager Doug Melvin said Friday that he and Greinke’s agent, Casey Close, discussed a potential new deal.

“If he does this for us this year, all this year, he is going to have some kind of year,” Roenicke said.

— Associated Press —