Cardinals Sweep Past the Expos

The usual combination of strong pitching and timely offense helped the St. Louis Cardinals wrap up a perfect six-game homestand.

Matt Morris threw a six-hitter and Scott Rolen hit a two-run homer in a 6-2 victory over the Montreal Expos on Sunday.

“We’re getting the best of both worlds right now,” said Jim Edmonds, who’s batting an NL-leading .402. “We’re scoring some runs and getting great pitching, and that’s why we’re winning.”

The NL Central leaders have a season-best seven-game winning streak, starting with a 20-inning victory a week ago at Florida. They outscored the opposition, 49-16, with the starting pitchers posting a 2.06 earned-run average during three-game sweeps of the Expos and New York Mets.

It was the Cardinals’ first homestand sweep of six or more games since they went 7-0 against the Reds and Phillies Aug. 13-19, 2001. And it was their first three-game sweep of Montreal since Sept. 28-30, 1992, also at home.

Morris (3-2) won for the second consecutive time, striking out six and walking two in his 10th complete game, his second of this season. The Cardinals led, 5-0, before Brad Wilkerson hit a two-run double in the sixth.

Morris has given up only nine earned runs in his last five starts for a 1.84 ERA.

The Cardinals touched Javier Vazquez for five runs, winning the finale in blustery 58-degree weather after heavy rain earlier in the day. The Expos were swept for the second time this season, also dropping three in a row to the Braves in Puerto Rico on April 15-17.

San Francisco 6, Cincinnati 1 -- Edgardo Alfonzo homered and drove in four runs and Kirk Rueter continued his dominance of the Reds.

Rueter gave up one run and four hits in six innings at San Francisco, improving to 10-1 lifetime against Cincinnati. He struck out four and didn’t walk a batter as the Giants (21-9) continued their best start in 30 years despite winning for only the third time in eight games.

Atlanta 7, Arizona 4 -- Rafael Furcal’s foul pop led to two runs in the top of the 11th inning and the Braves won for the 16th time in 19 games.

With the bases loaded, one out and the score 4-4, Furcal popped up behind first base. Mark Grace and second baseman Junior Spivey bumped into each other as Grace made the catch.

Darren Bragg tagged and scored from third and Grace’s wild throw home bounced into the Arizona dugout for an error that allowed Vinny Castilla to score from second.

Marcus Giles added an RBI single to make it 7-4. John Smoltz, who blew his first save in 28 appearances Friday night, pitched the 11th for his major league-best 12th save.

Chicago 5, Colorado 4 -- Alex Gonzalez homered in the bottom of the 10th inning to improve the Cubs’ record in extra-inning games to 3-0.

Gonzalez entered in the top of the 10th as part of a double-switch with Joe Borowski (1-0). The move paid off when he sent a 2-and-0 pitch from Steve Reed (2-1) into the left-field stands.

Preston Wilson doubled three times and drove in two runs and starter Jason Jennings matched his career high with nine strikeouts, but the Rockies couldn’t hold two leads, losing for the fourth time in five games overall and seventh in eight on the road.

New York 5, Milwaukee 3 -- Cliff Floyd’s power and Al Leiter’s poise gave the Mets a victory at Milwaukee.

Floyd hit a grand slam and Leiter (4-1) pitched six solid innings enabling the Mets -- in last place in the NL East -- to win two of three at Miller Park after a five-game losing streak.

Leiter gave up three runs and four hits, improving to 9-2 in 17 starts against the Brewers. He hasn’t lost to Milwaukee since June 27, 1994, while with Toronto.

Houston 5, Florida 2 -- Morgan Ensberg drove in the go-ahead run with a squeeze bunt in the eighth inning and the Astros completed a three-game sweep at Houston.

Brad Ausmus singled off Tim Spooneybarger (1-1) leading off the inning and took third on Richard Hidalgo’s single.

Ensberg bunted toward third to drive in Ausmus, reaching on the single, and Lance Berkman reached on an infield single to first. When Derrek Lee hesitated and then made a bad throw to first for an error, Hidalgo scored for a 4-2 lead.

Philadelphia 3, San Diego 1 -- Randy Wolf and four relievers combined on a three-hitter at San Diego, sending the Padres to their seventh loss in eight games.

Wolf (4-2) gave up only one run and two hits and struck out six. He allowed only two runners as far as second through six innings.

Padre right-hander Adam Eaton (1-3) left after five innings with a strained right groin. Eaton, making his 14th start since having reconstructive elbow surgery in 2001, threw two warmup pitches before the top of the sixth and was removed.