MLB: St. Louis 7, Cincinnati 6

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- A sacrifice fly in the ninth inning by Troy Glaus Friday gave the St. Louis Cardinals a 7-6 victory over Cincinnati.

The Reds tied it in the top of the ninth on Javier Valentin's two-run homer, but Bill Bray (2-2) gave up a single to Felipe Lopez with one out in the bottom half of the inning.

St. Louis eventually loaded the bases before Glaus hit a fly ball to deep center that delivered Lopez with the winning run.

Albert Pujols had three hits, one of them a two-run homer, in helping the Cardinals to their fourth straight victory.

Ryan Franklin (6-6) got the win despite giving up Valentin's homer in the ninth.

Pujols increased his batting average to .357 in his quest for the National League batting title. Atlanta's Chipper Jones, who is out of action with tendinitis in his right shoulders, leads the league at .365.