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Final Score: St. Louis 10 - NY Mets 8

Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Albert Pujols' two-run homer in the top of the 14th inning propelled the St. Louis Cardinals to a 10-8 win over New York, in the middle contest of a three-game set with the Mets.

Pujols finished with five hits and three runs batted in, while Skip Schumaker notched a career-high six hits for the Cardinals, who snapped a five-game losing streak. Brad Thompson (3-2) threw the final two innings, and was perfect over that span, to take the win.

Carlos Delgado homered twice to move into sole possession of 32nd place on the all-time home run list with 453, just one ahead of Carl Yastrzemski. Aaron Heilman (1-4) didn't allow a run over two innings of relief, but gave up Pujols' homer in a third frame and took the loss. The Mets saw their three- game win streak snapped, and their NL East lead over Philadelphia and Florida trimmed to one game.

In the top of the 14th, Schumaker singled with one out before Heilman struck out Ryan Ludwick. The Mets' reliever, though, left a fastball up to Pujols, who slammed it over the left field fence for a two-run Cardinals lead.

"He left it a little high and over the middle, I got a good swing on it and went out," Pujols noted.

Thompson returned to the mound in the bottom half and retired the first three batters of New York's lineup in order, sealing the win.

"We had shots, chances to get it done, we just didn't get it done," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "I just have to applaud Aaron for his effort more than anything else. We had some other shots to do some things."

Troy Glaus and Aaron Miles each finished with two hits and two RBI for the Cardinals, while Rick Ankiel had three hits and batted in one run. Cardinals starter Joel Pineiro struggled, and gave up five runs on 10 hits in four frames.

Fernando Tatis went 3-for-5 with a game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth, while Endy Chavez and David Wright each had two hits and an RBI. Jose Reyes went 4-for-8 with a home run. Mets starter Brandon Knight made his first major league appearance since 2002, and allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings.

A back-and-forth game left the Mets trailing by a run in the bottom of the ninth. Ryan Franklin began the frame on the mound for St. Louis, but didn't close out the game. Tatis smacked a ball deep to center field, and center fielder Ankiel raced back to the wall to jump up and catch it. Ankiel timed the jump well, but the ball sailed over the fence and cleared his glove by only several inches.

Franklin managed to hold the Mets off the scoreboard for the rest of the inning as the contest went to extra frames. In the home 10th, the Mets had runners on first and second with one out before Delgado hit a grounder back to Franklin, who threw to second to start the double play and escape the jam. Ground outs to the pitcher in the 11th and 12th ended rallies for New York.

Knight had trouble settling into his first major league appearance since September 13, 2002, when he played for the Yankees. The Cardinals loaded the bases with no outs, and Ankiel brought in the first run with an RBI single.

Glaus then walked to force in a run, Yadier Molina plated another with a sacrifice fly and Miles' RBI base hit made it 4-0 Cardinals.

The Mets got two runs back in the bottom half when Chavez tripled to score Reyes, who had led off with a double. Wright then grounded out to bring home Chavez and make it a 4-2 game.

Knight eventually found a groove and didn't allow another run for the rest of his outing.

"I think he has a good arm," Manuel said of Knight. "I think he has some instincts to pitch. If you throw the first inning out, he could be somewhat serviceable."

The same could not be said for Pineiro, who in the third inning threw a low- and-inside pitch to Delgado, who slammed it over the right field wall for a solo homer. Later in the same inning, Tatis sent a double into the left field corner to bring in Carlos Beltran and tie the game.

Reyes' leadoff homer in the fourth pushed New York into the lead, though St. Louis responded with a four-run sixth. Pujols, Glaus and Molina had RBI singles, while Miles hit a double down the left field line to bring in Glaus for an 8-5 St. Louis lead.

Delgado's two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth brought the Mets within 8-7.