ST. LOUIS, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Andy Benes allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings and Albert Pujols drove in four runs as the St. Louis Cardinals rolled to a 7-2 victory Monday night over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Benes contemplated retirement after he was placed on the disabled list April 15 with an arthritic right knee. He was 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA before going on the DL.
But injuries to Woody Williams and Garrett Stephenson forced the Cardinals to use the veteran righthander, and he has risen to the task, going 3-0 while allowing four earned runs in 31 2/3 innings over his last five starts.
Benes yielded both hits in the top of the third inning but went on to retire 12 of the final 14 hitters he faced. He struck out seven and walked two and improved to 3-1 since returning.
Mike Crudale worked a hitless eighth before Kevin Joseph loaded the bases with none out in the ninth.
Steve Kline came on after Joseph surrendered Craig Wilson's RBI single to finish the Cardinals' 10th win in 12 games.
St. Louis grabbed a 4-0 lead in the third on Pujols' 29th homer, a three-run blast that gave him the league lead with 97 RBI.
The Cardinals got to Pittsburgh starter Kip Wells (11-11) for four runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.
