Atlanta, GA (My Sportsbook) - Albert Pujols went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored as the St. Louis Cardinals got by the Atlanta Braves, 5-3, in the rubber match of a three-game set at Turner Field.

Skip Schumaker, Chris Duncan and Rick Ankiel each added an RBI single for the Cardinals, who have won seven of their last nine games.

Adam Wainwright (3-0) picked up the victory after working six innings. The veteran righty gave up three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits, while striking out two and walking five. He improved to 4-0 in seven games (4 starts) lifetime versus the Braves and hasn't lost a game since June 2 of last year.

"It was a lot of work I was having to do," Wainwright said of his start. "I didn't feel taxed at all. Certainly for six innings I did, but I definitely knew I had more in the tank."

Brendan Ryan had a double and run scored, before leaving with a left hamstring injury in the fifth inning. He was replaced by Brian Barden, who finished 1- for-3 with a run scored in the win.

Ryan Franklin earned his seventh save of the season after retiring the final four batters.

Omar Infante finished with three hits and an RBI for Atlanta, which has dropped three of its last four. Casey Kotchman and Jeff Francoeur each had a pair of hits and a run scored in defeat.

Javier Vazquez (2-2) suffered the loss despite going eight innings. He was touched for five runs on nine hits with a walk, but finished with eight strikeouts.

Infante's single to right scored David Ross, who walked to get the Braves on the board in the second.

However, the Cardinals came back to briefly draw even in the top of the third. Ryan doubled to left with one out and came around to score two batters later when Schumaker singled to center.

Then in the home half, Atlanta went back in front. Kotchman started things with a one-out double and Francoeur singled to right. Kotchman was originally held at third, but when Colby Rasmus overran the ball Kotchman scored. Matt Diaz grounded out and with Jordan Schafer at bat, Wainwright's wild pitch allowed Francoeur to cross the plate, making it a 3-1 game.

St. Louis grabbed the lead in the top of the fifth, scoring four times. Joe Thurston singled to leadoff the inning, then Ryan left the game with a left hamstring injury after running out a foul grounder and was replaced by Barden, who took over a 2-2 count and singled.

With runners on the corners, Wainwright's RBI base hit brought in Thurston. Schumaker and Rasmus went down on strikes, before Pujols' single to center tied the game. Chris Duncan and Rick Ankiel added back-to-back run-scoring base hits put the Cards in front by a 5-3 margin.

"You play this game long enough, you're going to have a night like this every once in a while," Francoeur said. "Vazquez pitched great. The inning they scored the runs, they had what, one hard hit? Pujols' ball up the middle. That's just baseball."

In the bottom of the ninth, Chipper Jones reached on a one-out single, but Franklin retired Kotchman and Francoeur to end the game.

Game Notes

Atlanta resumes its eight-game homestand against Houston on Friday, while the Cardinals continue their seven-game road trip at Washington on Thursday...The Cardinals have won nine of their last 12 versus the Braves...Atlanta finished 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11.