Cubs get better of Cards

ST. LOUIS -- Greg Maddux threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings and the Chicago Cubs got just enough off Mark Mulder early in a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night.

Maddux topped 400 innings over the last two seasons, triggering an automatic $9 million option for next season, when he struck out Hector Luna for the second out in the fourth inning of his 317th career victory.

The Cubs took two of three from the team with the National League's best record, winning their first season series in St. Louis since 1995.

Neifi Perez had an RBI double and Matt Murton a run-scoring single on consecutive at-bats with two outs in the second for the Cubs, who were 5-3 in the final season at 40-year-old Busch Stadium. The Cardinals lead the majors with an 88-52 record and have lost only three of 16 series since the All-Star break, all three to the Cubs.

The Cubs are 8-4 against the Cardinals this season, but 61-67 otherwise. The Cardinals are 42-20 against the NL Central overall, with a losing record only against Chicago.

Albert Pujols hit his 37th homer and singled twice for the Cardinals.

David Eckstein extended his hitting streak to a season-best 13 games got an infield hit in the third inning .

Maddux (12-11) allowed seven hits, struck out four and walked two. He escaped a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the third when Jim Edmonds grounded into a home-to-first double play and John Mabry struck out. The Cardinals were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position against Maddux.

Mulder (15-7) scattered 10 hits in his third complete game of the year and 25th of his career, continuing a second-half surge. He allowed two runs, struck out three and didn't walk a batter, throwing 96 pitches. He's 2-1 in his last four starts, giving up four earned runs in 34 innings, a 1.06 ERA.

Pujols homered for the second time in three games with two outs in the seventh off Michael Wuertz to make the score 2-1. He was 3-for-4, raising his average to .337.

Ryan Dempster, the Cubs' fourth pitcher, worked the ninth for his 24th save.

Notes: St. Louis' So Taguchi doubled in the sixth for his first extra-base hit since Aug. 16. ... Eckstein is 23-for-56 during his streak. ... Perez grounded into double plays in the seventh and ninth, giving him a team-leading 20 this season. ... Edmonds made a running over-the-shoulder catch of pinch-hitter Jose Macias' drive to the center field wall leading off the eighth. ... Attendance of 47,789 was the Cardinals' 38th sellout and 30th straight game with 40,000 or more. ... Maddux is one behind Phil Niekro for 15th on the career victory list.