Albert Pujols hits 2 homers to help Brad Thompson and Cardinals defeat Indians 3-1

Pujols hits 2 homers in 3-1 win over Indians

CLEVELAND — Albert Pujols hit two home runs and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cleveland Indians 3-1 on Saturday.

Pujols’ 27th multihomer game and fourth this season helped Brad Thompson (1-2) get his first win since St. Louis’ final game in 2008.

Pujols’ first homer of the game was his 1,600th hit in 1,301 career games. The 396-foot line drive over the wall in left-center put St. Louis ahead 1-0 in the fourth inning against Tomo Ohka (0-1).

The slugger then hit his 22nd homer in the sixth, a 435-foot shot deep into the seats in left-center for a 2-1 lead. Pujols is hitting .529 (9 for 17) with three homers and five RBIs against Ohka. He had not faced him since 2006, when the right-hander was with Milwaukee.

The reigning NL MVP also homered Friday night and is 7 for 16 with six RBIs in his last four games after breaking an 0-for-14 streak.

Ryan Franklin, the Cardinals’ fifth pitcher, worked the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.

Thompson held the Indians hitless until Victor Martinez tied it at 1 with an RBI single in the fourth. Jamey Carroll reached on an error by shortstop Brendan Ryan and Mark DeRosa walked before Martinez grounded a single between first and second, scoring Carroll and sending DeRosa to third with none out.

Martinez was tagged out in a rundown after straying too far off first on a pitch in the dirt that was blocked by catcher Yadier Molina. Thompson then struck out Shin-Soo Choo and Jhonny Peralta.

Thompson didn’t allow an earned run over six innings. He gave up three hits and two walks, striking out five.

After 10 relief outings to open the season, Thompson has started twice in place of Kyle Lohse, who went on the disabled list June 5 with a strained right forearm.

Ohka allowed two runs and seven hits over seven innings in his first start since June 6, 2007, for Toronto. The 33-year-old struck out two without a walk as he worked in the rotation spot vacated by Fausto Carmona, who was sent to the Arizona Rookie League after going 2-6 with a 7.42 ERA over 12 starts.

Skip Schumaker singled off reliever Rafael Perez in the eighth, took third on a double by Pujols and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.

NOTES: Pujols is the all-time leader in interleague batting average at .355 (155-for-437) with 30 homers and 100 RBIs, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. … Both teams wore uniforms from the 1980s as part of a retro weekend promotion by the Indians. … The 100 millionth fan to attend an interleague game entered the turnstiles at Progressive Field. The Indians presented Randy Loomis of Ashtabula, Ohio, with a prize packaged that included a trip to the 2009 All-Star game in St. Louis next month. Interleague play began in 1997.