Finley rebounds from shaky start

Pitcher works seven strong innings in 7-3 win over Astros.By R.B. Fallstrom

The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS -- Chuck Finley, a big part of the St. Louis Cardinals' postseason plans, put together another solid outing.

Finley pitched seven strong innings, rebounding from a shaky start, and Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer in a 7-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

The Cardinals acquired Finley in July to bolster an injury-plagued rotation, and he figures to start at least one game in the first round of the playoffs.

"They got me over here to help them kind of stay where they were and kind of get them over the hump and I contributed what I thought I could," Finley said. "The postseason is just an extension.

"You want to go in there hitting on all cylinders and you want to be one of the guys who can put it to the next round."

The Cardinals, who clinched the NL Central on Friday, took two of three from Houston and have won 15 of 18 overall. They finished the season 13-6 against the Astros, their closest competition in the division.

"It's another day where St. Louis proved that they were better than us," Jeff Bagwell said. "They just keep coming on the attack, they play good defense and they've got good pitching."

The Cardinals also moved closer to Arizona in the race for home-field advantage in the first round. The Diamondbacks lead by three games entering a three-game series that begins in St. Louis tonight.

"I think right now we're pleased we're in the playoffs," said Jim Edmonds, who was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. "We're just going to play the games until we get there and if we win, we win.

"If we don't we'll go to Arizona and be happy about it."

Finley (6-4) got his 199th career victory, winning for the first time in five starts since Aug. 27. He was 0-1 in his previous four starts, allowing 14 earned runs in 19 1-3 innings.

The left-hander gave up three runs, two earned, and five hits. He did not walk a batter in his second career appearance against the Astros and rebounded after giving up a two-run homer to Mark Loretta in the first. Pujols' homer, in the bottom of the first, helped a lot.

"I was kind of frustrated about putting us down like that, but Albert came through like he has all year and put one in the seats," Finley said. "I felt like I got a second wind there."

Finley also allowed a solo shot to Jason Lane in the fourth, only the 10th homer he's allowed in his last 28 starts.

Jason Isringhausen struck out two in a perfect ninth, his first appearance since Sept. 14. The right-hander had been sidelined with a sore shoulder and should get some work in the final seven games to stay sharp for the playoffs.

"I don't think we're going to be pitching back-to-back days or anything like that," Isringhausen said. "My season's pretty much going to start again with the playoffs."

The first four Cardinals batters reached base against rookie Kirk Saarloos (6-7) in the first inning. Fernando Vina singled and was caught stealing, then Eli Marrero walked and Edmonds singled ahead of Pujols' 34th homer for a 3-2 lead. He has 124 RBIs, four behind NL leader Lance Berkman of the Astros.

Berkman came out of Saturday's game with tightness in his hamstring and did not play Sunday.

Lane's second homer tied it with two outs in the fourth, but Tino Martinez's 21st homer leading off the bottom half put the Cardinals ahead to stay. St. Louis has hit 17 homers in the last six games.

J.D. Drew had a sacrifice fly and Mike Matheny hit an RBI single that bounded high off the third-base bag for a 6-3 lead in the sixth.

Edmonds' bloop single, which barely eluded a diving attempt by Lane in right field, made it 7-3 in the seventh.

Saarloos lasted five innings in his first career start against the Cardinals, giving up four runs on five hits. He's 0-4 in his last five starts, giving up 19 earned runs in 26 1-3 innings.

"It's still at the point where when I get the ball up, it's hit hard," Saarloos said. "When I keep it down, I get guys out."

Noteworthy

Pujols has an NL-leading 58 RBIs since the All-Star break.

Finley is 7-5 at home and 3-10 on the road.

Edmonds is 7-for-11 in his last three games with two homers.

Loretta is 7-for-14 in his last four games.

The Astros have lost six of nine and were eliminated from the NL wild-card race.

Houston left the bases loaded in the eighth when Dave Veres struck out Bagwell and got Jose Vizcaino on a groundout.