St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jason Simontacchi follows through on a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        PITTSBURGH — Scott Rolen is feeling more relaxed with the St. Louis Cardinals, and it shows. Rolen hit a three-run homer and Albert Pujols drove in four runs as the Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-6 Monday night.

        Rolen, who was 6-for-40 (.150) in his first 11 games after being traded July 29 from Philadelphia to the Cardinals, homered and drove in three runs for the second straight day.

        “I'm starting to get some hits and that makes you feel a little better,” Rolen said. “I think I'm a little more comfortable at the plate.

        “If I had hit three balls real hard and they were all right at the shortstop, I'd probably feel good, too. But when you get results, it helps you relax a little bit,” he said.

        Pujols had three hits, including a two-run double and a two-run homer.

        “We got something out of everybody who played tonight,” manager Tony La Russa said, referring to a lineup potent enough to keep J.D. Drew in the eighth spot in the batting order.

        Tino Martinez also homered as the Cardinals stretched their NL Central lead to 2 1/2 games over idle Cincinnati with their fourth win in five games. St. Louis had lost five in a row on the road.

        “What we need to do now is get on a roll,” center fielder Jim Edmonds said. “This team is good enough to win the division. Now we have to go out and prove it.”

        Brian Giles hit his 30th home run for Pittsburgh. After losing for the fifth time in six games, the Pirates are a season-low 14 games under .500 at 52-66.

        “We made too many mistakes and you can't make them against a lineup like that,” Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. “We left too many pitches over the middle of the plate and that kind of lineup will make you pay.”

        The game started 62 minutes late because of rain.

        Winner Jason Simontacchi (8-4) had gone six starts without a victory since defeating San Diego 4-1 on July 3. He had been 0-3 with a 7.45 ERA in that stretch.

        The Pirates scored three runs in the first before Rolen's 19th home run tied it at 3 in the fourth. It came off Brian Meadows (0-3) after Edgar Renteria's single and the first of Jim Edmonds's two doubles.

        “Simontacchi battled,” La Russa said. “He was upset after that first inning. A lot of guys wouldn't regain their composure. He did.”

        The Cardinals broke the tie with a four-run fifth inning. Drew, Fernando Vina and Edgar Renteria hit consecutive singles for the first run. Edmonds had an RBI single off reliever Joe Beimel and Pujols doubled in the last two runs.

        Martinez hit a solo home run, his 14th, in the seventh off Josias Manzanillo.

        Pujols' 26th home run came off Brian Boehringer and gave St. Louis a 10-6 lead.

        Pittsburgh scored a run in the fifth on singles by Jason Kendall and Jack Wilson and Giles' sacrifice fly.

        Simontacchi allowed four hits and a walk in the first. Aramis Ramirez hit an RBI double, Rob Mackowiak singled in a run and Kevin Young hit a sacrifice fly.

        Notes: The Pirates have endured 21 rain delays this season for a total of 23 hours, 9 minutes. They have had 19 delays at home for 19 hours, 2 minutes. ... Meadows hasn't won a major league game since he beat Cleveland on May 10, 2001, while with Kansas City. ... Pittsburgh's Armando Rios flied out as a pinch-hitter. He is 1-for-21 since he came off the disabled list on Aug. 2. ... Giles has hit at least 30 homers in four consecutive seasons. Ralph Kiner (1947-52) and Willie Stargell (1970-73) are the only other Pirates to accomplish that. ... Simontacchi had allowed 18 earned runs and five home runs in 11 innings over his three previous starts.

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