ST. LOUIS, April 24 (UPI) -- Albert Pujols hit his major league-leading 12th home run of the season Monday as the St. Louis Cardinals posted a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pujols, who extended the Cardinals' record for home runs in the month of April, finished with two RBI and two runs. So Taguchi and Hector Luna also had two RBI for St. Louis, which won for the fourth time in its last five games.
Chris Carpenter (3-1) allowed two runs on eight hits over six innings for the win.
Jason Bay hit a solo home run for the Pirates, who have lost five games in a row. Humberto Cota went 2-for-4 and drove in Pittsburgh's other run.
Oliver Perez (1-3) gave up all seven St. Louis runs, only five of which were earned, on 10 hits and two walks through five innings.
Pujols is one homer shy of the major league record for most in April, set by Ken Griffey Jr. in 1997 and tied by Luis Gonzalez in 2001.
