(Sports Network) - Ryan Ludwick hit a three-run homer as the St. Louis Cardinals downed the Houston Astros, 8-4, in the second of a three-game set at Minute Maid Park. Skip Schumaker went 3-for-5 with a double, triple, two RBI and a run scored for the Cardinals, who snapped a two-game slide.

Adam Wainwright (6-3) started on the mound, but left in the sixth inning with a sprained middle finger on his right hand. In his five-plus innings of work he gave up two runs on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts to earn the win.

Hunter Pence went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and two RBI while Miguel Tejada also hit a solo home run for the Astros, who have dropped three of their last four games. Shawn Chacon (2-2) was banged up for seven runs on 10 hits in five innings of work.

"Shawn threw the ball well in his other starts," said Astros manager Cecil Cooper. "But he has had two that are just not typical. He just didn't have any command at all, especially in that one inning. I sent him back out and hoped that he would be able to stop the bleeding, but he just wasn't able to stop it."

The Cardinals lit up the scoreboard in the second inning to the tune of seven runs to take control of the game. Troy Glaus led off the frame with a shot over the center field wall. With runners on first and second, Schumaker ripped a triple to deep center and then came home when Brian Barton followed with a ground-rule double. After Albert Pujols was issued an intentional walk, Ludwick belted a pitch into the left field stands for a 7-0 lead.

Houston, which had runners on base in each of the first four innings, got on the board in the fifth on a solo home run from Pence.

The Astros plated another two runners in the sixth to make it a 7-3 game. Lance Berkman led off with a double and, after Kyle McClellan took the mound for Wainwright with Darin Erstad at the plate, who McClellan struck out, Ty Wigginton singled to put runners at the corners. Michael Bourn then singled to score Berkman and Brad Ausmus singled to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Geoff Blum then popped out and Pence beat out an infield single to score Wigginton. Kaz Matsui struck out to end the frame.

Tejada's leadoff home run in the seventh cut Houston's deficit to 7-4.

The Astros put their first two batters on base in the eighth as Bourn led off with a ground-rule double and Ausmus hit a bloop single to center. However, Mark Loretta struck out and Pence hit into a double play to end the inning.

The Cardinals got a run in the ninth as Ludwick led off with a double, moved to third on Glaus' fly out and crossed the plate on Yadier Molina's sac fly for an 8-4 lead.

Game Notes

It was Ludwick's 14th home run of the season, which ties a career-high set last year...Ausmus finished the game 3-for-4...St. Louis has taken seven of 11 games against Houston this season...The Astros stranded 11 men on base...Attendance was 39,811.



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