Pujols' walkoff homer lifts Cards

ST. LOUIS — John Smoltz struck out six and allowed one run in six innings in his first home start for St. Louis, and Albert Pujols hit his 41st homer leading off the bottom of the ninth to give the Cardinals a 3-2 victory over Washington.

Pujols homered off Jason Bergmann (2-4) for his eighth career walkoff homer And first since July 13, 2006. Bergmann has allowed seven runs in 21?3 innings in his last five appearances.

The NL Central leaders have won 16 of 20.

Khalil Greene's first career pinch-hit homer tied it at 2 in the eighth against Nationals starter John Lannan, who allowed two runs and four hits in eight innings.

Jason Motte (4-4) worked around a one-out double by Elijah Dukes in the ninth.

Josh Bard, a .385 career hitter against St. Louis, put the Nationals ahead 2-1 with an RBI double off Blake Hawksworth in the seventh. Dukes doubled twice and went 3 for 4.

Smoltz, released by Boston earlier this month after going 2-5 with an 8.33 ERA, struggled only in the third, allowing two hits and a sacrifice fly by Pete Orr.

REDS 4, DODGERS 2: At Cincinnati, Homer Bailey gave the best performance of his career, holding the NL's top team scoreless for eight innings, and Cincinnati won their season-high fifth straight.

Bailey (4-4) allowed only seven singles and had a career-high seven strikeouts while going eight innings for the first time in his career.

Nick Masset gave up a solo homer to James Loney, starting a wild ninth. Francisco Cordero came on and loaded the bases with two outs, let in a run on a wild pitch and got Ramirez on a called third strike to end it.

Jonny Gomes had an RBI single and a solo homer off Chad Billingsley (12-8), who lasted five-plus innings.

CUBS 5, METS 2: At Chicago — Alfonso Soriano made up for several miscues in the outfield with a tie-breaking three-run homer in the eighth inning for Chicago.

Milton Bradley who like Soriano has been booed by frustrated Cubs fans, led off the inning with a double, his third hit. He scored on Aramis Ramirez's single, tying the game 2-all.

After reliever Brian Stokes (1-3) walked Jeff Baker, Soriano hit an 0-2 pitch for his 20th homer of the season and first since July 29.

The Cubs have won just seven of 21 since Aug. 7.