ST. LOUIS — Two days after Jason Isringhausen left to merciless boos from the home crowd, he walked off the mound in triumph.

Shaking off recent woes that left him wondering for a time whether to ditch his favored cut fastball, the St. Louis Cardinals' closer needed only 12 pitches to retire the top of the Chicago Cubs' order, putting the finishing touch on a 5-3 victory last night.

"I got to face some of the guys that got me that night," Isringhausen said. "I told myself I was just going to start the season over. All I did was try to go out there and just let it all loose and just pound the strike zone."

Albert Pujols reached base for the 32nd consecutive game, one shy of his personal best to start the year, and did it with a key two-run double in the fourth inning that was the go-ahead hit.

Todd Wellemeyer (3-1) beat the team that drafted him in 2000 and gave him his first shot in the major leagues, helping the Cardinals take two of three from their Central Division rival.

They begin an eight-game trip with a 1 1/2 game division lead over Chicago.

"There's a lot of tough teams in this division and I just want us to be one of them," manager Tony La Russa said. "We're playing tough and it makes for exciting baseball."

Isringhausen allowed runs in five of his previous eight appearances, going 0-1 with three blown saves, including Alfonso Soriano's game-tying two-run, ninth-inning homer in a 5-3, 11-inning victory on Friday. Soriano bounced out to third for the first out of the ninth. Cardinals fans were subdued until Isringhausen retired the first two, and then began to chant "Let's go Cardinals!" before Isringhausen struck out Derrek Lee for the final out and his 10th save in 13 chances.

"A game like this tells you all you need to know about Izzy," La Russa said. "That's why he's a closer. He's a very, very tough guy."

Astros 8, Brewers 6: Hunter Pence hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 12th to lead Houston over Milwaukee. Pence's home run to left field scored Lance Berkman and completed Houston's comeback for its third straight win. The Astros trailed by as many as four.

Marlins 10, Padres 3: Greg Maddux failed in his fourth bid to reach 350 victories when he was outpitched by young Andrew Miller in a loss to host Florida. Maddux (2-3) twice failed to hold a lead, and he allowed 11 hits and five runs, four earned, in 5 2/3 innings. Miller (2-2) earned his seventh career win. The left-hander allowed four hits and two runs in a season-high six innings.

Nationals 5, Pirates 2: Tim Redding (4-2) allowed one run over 6 1/3 innings and Aaron Boone homered as host Washington beat Pittsburgh.

Phillies 6, Giants 5: Pat Burrell had two doubles and two RBIs to lead host Philadelphia past San Francisco for manager Charlie Manuel's 500th career victory. Shane Victorino, a St. Anthony of Maui alum, had two hits and Carlos Ruiz homered for the Phillies.

Braves 14, Reds 7: Chipper Jones drove in five runs and host Atlanta scored seven runs in the second inning to beat Cincinnati to complete a three-game sweep.

Rockies 7, Dodgers 2: Matt Holliday had two hits and two RBIs as host Colorado beat Los Angeles to end a four-game losing streak. Andre Ethier homered for the Dodgers, who saw their eight-game winning streak snapped.

Mets 5, Diamondbacks 2: First baseman Conor Jackson's ninth inning throwing error allowed Carlos Beltran to score the go-ahead run from second and visiting New York went on to beat Arizona.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Yankees 8, Mariners 2: Derek Jeter had four hits and host New York got consecutive homers from Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano during a six-run third inning to beat Seattle for a three-game sweep.

Red Sox 7, Rays 3: Kevin Youkilis had four RBIs and Jon Lester (2-2) allowed a run with four hits and three walks in six innings to lift host Boston over Tampa Bay.

Twins 7, Tigers 6: Joe Mauer capped a Minnesota rally from a six-run, first-inning deficit, slapping a two-run single up the middle in the seventh to lift host Minnesota over Detroit.

Angels 6, Orioles 5: Gary Matthews Jr. and Torii Hunter homered in the first inning as host Los Angeles beat Baltimore. Joe Saunders (6-0) threw 85 pitches over five innings in the shortest of his seven starts. The left-hander allowed four runs and a career-high 12 hits, struck out one and walked none.

Blue Jays 4, White Sox 3: Roy Halladay (3-4) won for the first time in four starts and Matt Stairs scored twice and drove in two runs as host Toronto handed Chicago its season-high fifth straight loss.

Royals 2, Indians 0: Gil Meche (2-4) pitched seven shutout innings and a throwing error by third baseman Casey Blake broke a scoreless tie as visiting Kansas City beat Cleveland. Miguel Olivo added a solo homer in the ninth for the Royals.

Athletics 3, Rangers 1: Jack Cust's two-run homer in the seventh inning helped host Oakland end the Rangers' four-game winning streak.

ELSEWHERE

Tigers: Detroit recalled Dontrelle Willis from his minor league rehabilitation assignment yesterday, meaning the injured left-hander — who is recovering from a hyperextended right knee — will stay with the team for now instead of in Triple-A. On Friday, Willis threw 72 pitches without a walk in 4 2/3 innings while allowing four hits and two runs for the Toledo Mud Hens in the International League.

Angels: Los Angeles placed pitcher Dustin Moseley on the 15-day disabled list yesterday because of stiffness in his forearm and recalled Sean Rodriguez from Triple-A Salt Lake to start at second base for the injured Chone Figgins.

Cardinals: Anthony Reyes was demoted to the minor leagues by St. Louis yesterday after sputtering in a relief role with a 5.27 ERA. The 26-year-old Reyes, once considered the team's top pitching prospect, will be a starter for Triple-A Memphis.

Yankees: Pitcher Ian Kennedy was sent to the minor leagues yesterday by New York, which purchased Darrell Rasner's contract from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.