Redbirds exhibit the ability to win

JUPITER, Fla. -- Matt Morris used his third spring start as a training exercise for his revamped changeup.

The St. Louis Cardinals' opening-day pitcher worked four innings, allowing a run on five hits, in a 7-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday.

"I threw a lot of changeups and I was throwing it with a new grip, not that that's all the rage and the big news," Morris said. "I had more confidence in it and I had a better idea of where it was going than all last year probably."

Morris had been gripping the ball in the back of his hand. Against the Braves, he released it off his fingertips and tried to get a snap with the release.

"They've been on me to throw this thing, which I should be using more and more," Morris said. "Physically, it saves me pitches and gives me a better chance with my fastball in different counts.

"And obviously it sets everything up."

The Cardinals hadn't allowed a run in 18 innings before Johnny Estrada's RBI single in the second. Morris worked four innings for the second straight start, and worked out of trouble in the second and fourth.

Scott Rolen hit his first home run of the spring and Reggie Sanders hit his third for St. Louis, both coming off Horacio Ramirez. Ramirez lasted four innings and gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits.

Reliever Antonio Alfonseca gave up four runs in the seventh for Atlanta.

Noteworthyn The Cardinals optioned RHP Jimmy Journell to Triple-A Memphis and reassigned C Yadier Molina to their minor league camp.

The Cardinals have won five in a row and are 6-7 overall after losing six of their first seven.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said CF Jim Edmonds, coming off shoulder surgery in early December, could make his spring debut on Wednesday.