ST. LOUIS—Ryan Ludwick hit his second home run of the game off Dan Wheeler in the 10th inning, allowing the St. Louis Cardinals to recover after squandering a four-run cushion in a 9-8 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

Albert Pujols also homered and had two RBIs a day after his 42-game streak of reaching base ended, helping the Cardinals win for only the third time in 11 games. The AL East-leading Rays lost for just the second time in 10 games.

Ludwick hit the first pitch from Wheeler (0-3) with one out in the 10th an estimated 402 feet over the wall in left-center for the second winning homer of his career. He has four career two-homer games, including two this season.

Ryan Franklin (2-1) allowed two walks in two scoreless innings.



Mets 7, Yankees 4

NEW YORK—Johan Santana (5-2) pitched into the eighth inning and the Mets got home runs from Jose Reyes and David Wright to top the Yankees 7-4 Saturday in the opener of a rain-shortened Subway Series.

Billy Wagner got four outs for his ninth save in nine chances—one day after manager Willie Randolph held a closed-door meeting in response to remarks by the closer that some perceived as critical of his teammates.

After clearing the air, the Mets clocked reliever Kyle Farnsworth. They got key throws from outfielders Ryan Church and Carlos Beltran, beating Andy Pettitte (3-5) after Friday night’s scheduled game was rained out.



Red Sox 5, Brewers 3

BOSTON—Daisuke Matsuzaka remained unbeaten, holding Milwaukee to a pair of unearned runs and pitching into the seventh inning, and David Ortiz hit a three-run homer off Brewers starter Jeff Suppan (2-3) in the opener of a split doubleheader.

Matsuzaka (7-0) gave up seven hits over 6 2-3 innings and tied the Angels’ Joe Saunders for the AL lead in wins.

Jason Varitek added a pair of doubles for the Red Sox, who avoided matching their longest losing streak this season. Boston had lost its previous four games to close a 10-game trip.



Reds 4, Indians 2

CINCINNATI—Adam Dunn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Masa Kobayashi, rallying the Cincinnati Reds to their season-high fifth straight victory.

Dunn’s third homer in three games helped the Reds survive another shutdown pitching performance by Cleveland’s Fausto Carmona, who turned a 2-1 lead over to a bullpen in transition.

Kobayashi (2-1) got a chance to close games after Rafael Betancourt struggled earlier in the week. Kobayashi opened the ninth by giving up a single to Joey Votto and hitting Edwin Encarnacion. Dunn then latched onto a belt-high fastball, driving it deep into the seats in right field for his ninth homer.

Bill Bray (1-0) pitched out of a scoring threat in the ninth to get the win.



Dodgers 6, Angels 3

ANAHEIM, Calif.—Blake DeWitt hit a two-run homer in the second inning and the Dodgers handed Ervin Santana his first loss of the season.

Chan Ho Park made his first start for the Dodgers in almost seven years, limiting the Angels to two runs—one earned—over four innings. The 34-year-old right-hander gave up three hits, walked two, hit Vladimir Guerrero with a pitch and struck out three. He left with the Dodgers up 4-2.

Because Park pitched just four innings, Hong-Chih Kuo (3-1) earned the win by shutting out the Angels for four innings.

Santana (6-1), coming off his worst outing of the season, gave up four runs on five hits in six innings. He walked three, hit a batter and struck out five.



National League

Pirates 7, Cubs 6

CHICAGO—Nate McLouth hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Carlos Marmol in the ninth to help Pittsburgh overcome Alfonso Soriano’s second straight two-homer game.

Freddy Sanchez beat shortstop Ryan Theriot’s throw to first on a grounder up the middle with one out before McLouth’s drive off Marmol (1-1) helped Pittsburgh win for the ninth time in 12 games.

Matt Capps gave up a two-out RBI single to Ryan Theriot after Soriano doubled for his fifth hit of the game, but retired Derrek Lee on a fly to right for his 10th save.

Damaso Marte (3-0) pitched a perfect eighth.