TORONTO, 7 August 2005 — Albert Pujols became the first player in major league history to hit 30 home runs in each of his first five seasons to help the St. Louis Cardinals to an 11-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday.
Pujols’ first-inning homer off Braves starter John Smoltz at Busch Stadium in St Louis was his 30th of the season and gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
The St Louis slugger broke into the league with the Cardinals in 2001 with 37 homers and followed up with 34 in 2002, 43 in 2003 and 46 in 2004.
So Taguchi and Jim Edmonds also homered for the Cardinals, who have won five of their last seven games.
Mark Mulder (13-5) allowed one run while scattering seven hits over seven innings to take credit for the win.
In New York, Cliff Floyd and Mike Cameron both hit two-run singles to key a six-run second inning that guided the Mets to a 9-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Tom Glavine (8-9) gave up five runs, four earned, on 10 hits, striking out two to record his 270th career victory that moved him into a tie for 31st on baseball’s all-time win list.
Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes each contributed three hits to the New York total.
Shortstop Nomar Garciaparra made his long awaited return to the Cubs lineup after tearing his groin on April 20 though he appeared rusty and went 0-4 at the plate.
In Philadelphia, the Milwaukee Brewers got nine strong innings from Ben Sheets and capitalized on two Phillies throwing errors to claim a 3-1 10th-inning victory.
Tied 1-1, Damian Miller and Billy Hall raced home after Phillies outfielder Bobby Abreu mishandled a throw to second baseman Chase Utley, who was also charged with an error when his wild relay throw sailed into the dugout.
Sheets (8-7) gave up just one run on four hits, striking out seven and walking one before Matt Wise pitched a scoreless 10th for his first save.
In Washington, Dave Roberts homered and Mark Sweeney and Robert Fick each drove in a pair of runs as the San Diego Padres edged the Nationals 6-5.
Tied 5-5 at the top of the ninth, Fick grounded into a fielder’s choice that brought Sweeney home with the winning run, sending the Nationals to their 13th straight loss in games decided by a single run.
Scott Linebrink (5-1) pitched two innings of scoreless relief to get the win before Trevor Hoffman came on to get the final three outs and his 28th save.
Washington starter Livan Hernandez had another shaky outing, hammered for four runs on 12 hits, and showed his displeasure when he was relieved in the sixth innings, throwing his cap, glove and jacket into the stands.
In Pittsburgh, Olmedo Saenz homered and drove in a career-high six runs in the Los Angeles Dodgers 12-6 rout of the Pirates.
Derek Lowe (8-11) pitched six innings for the win, allowing three runs on five hits, striking out five and walking two.
In Cincinnati, Miguel Cabrera and Alex Gonzalez belted home runs and Jason Vargas pitched 6 1/3 dominant innings in the Florida Marlins’ 5-1 victory over the Reds.
Vargas (2-0) got the win and had taken a shutout into the seventh inning before surrendering one run on three hits.
In San Francisco, Jason Schmidt (8-6) pitched eight shutout innings as the Giants beat the Houston Astros 4-0.
Schmidt scattered three hits, striking out five and walking three to earn the win.
Houston’s Andy Pettitte (9-8) was also solid but took his first loss in nearly two months after surrendering three runs on seven hits in seven innings. In Phoenix, Lance Cormier’s throwing error allowed the Colorado Rockies to score the go-ahead run in their 6-4 victory over Arizona Diamondbacks.
