St. Louis, MO (My Sportsbook) - Ryan Ludwick went 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI, as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Houston Astros, 5-3, in the opener of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.

Skip Schumaker collected three hits and drove in a run for the Cardinals, who split a four-game home series with Pittsburgh to open the 2009 campaign. Joel Pineiro (1-0) gave up two runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings for the win.

"I just keep on working on throwing and let the defense work behind me," said Pineiro.

Back in Houston for his second stint with the Astros, Mike Hampton (0-1) gave up three runs on four hits with four walks and five strikeouts over five innings to take the loss. Injuries have plagued Hampton, who was out of baseball entirely with arm problems in 2006 and 2007. He returned to Atlanta in 2008 and made 13 starts, going 3-4 with a 4.85 earned run average over 78 innings.

"In the first inning I felt good," said Hampton. "I'll give them credit, they battled me hard every at-bat. It seems they had a good approach and there weren't too many easy outs."

Carlos Lee finished 3-for-4 with a solo shot for the Houston, which had dropped two of three at home to the Cubs. Geoff Blum collected two hits, a walk and scored a run in defeat.

The Cardinals scratched a run with two gone in the first inning. Schumaker singled to lead off the frame and Ludwick drew a two-out walk before Chris Duncan slapped a base hit to right field, chasing home Schumaker. St. Louis was threatening for more, as Yadier Molina earned a free pass to load the bases, but Hampton fanned Rick Ankiel to avoid further damage.

Hampton plunked Khalil Greene and walked Albert Pujols to begin the third before Ludwick ripped an RBI double to right. After Duncan flied out, Molina hit a chopper back to Hampton, who lobbed the ball to first. Recognizing the soft toss, Pujols alertly broke for home and beat Lance Berkman's throw to the plate.

Houston got on the board in the sixth, as Hunter Pence slapped a two-out single and came around to score on a double from Berkman. Geoff Geary replaced Hampton in the bottom half and surrendered a two-out, RBI double to Schumaker which plated Ankiel, who walked to begin the frame.

Blum doubled with one away in the seventh and advanced to third on a two-out base hit by Michael Bourn. Josh Kinney then emerged from the bullpen and issued consecutive walks to pinch-hitter Darin Erstad and Kazuo Matsui to force in a run, but settled down and got Pence swinging to end the inning.

Ludwick's solo blast in the home half of the seventh off Doug Brocail made it 5-2, but Lee took Kinney deep in the eighth.

Jason Motte came on to protect St. Louis' two-run lead in the ninth, but gave up singles to Ivan Rodriguez and Jeff Keppinger sandwiched around a fly out by Bourn. Kyle McClellan took over on the hill and retired Matsui on strikes and got Pence to ground out to notch the save, his first of the year.

Game Notes

Miguel Tejada was hitless in four at-bats for Houston...The Cardinals won eight of 15 meetings with the Astros in 2008, including four of the six games played between the clubs at Busch Stadium.