HOUSTON, April 6 (UPI) -- Albert Pujols homered and drove in three runs and Mike DiFelice and Eli Marrero hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning Saturday night to carry the St. Louis Cardinals past the Houston Astros, 8-4.
Pujols hit a solo homer in the fifth inning to knot the score, 2-2. The game stayed tied until St. Louis pulled ahead in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Pujols.
DiFelice extended the lead to 4-2 with his second homer of the year with one out in the eighth off Houston reliever Nelson Cruz (0-1). Marrero followed by hitting Cruz's next offering over the left field fence for a three-run cushion.
DiFelice and Marrero, the No. 7 and 8 hitters in the lineup, each went three for four. Marrero finished a single short of the cycle and did not get another at-bat after being replaced for defense at first base by Tino Martinez in the bottom of the eighth.
Matt Morris (2-0) earned the win despite throwing 125 pitches in six innings. Morris allowed a pair of unearned runs and six hits while striking out seven.
St. Louis added three runs in the ninth to put away the game. Pujols triggered the outburst with an RBI double.
