Final Score: St. Louis 8 - Houston 1 Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Juan Encarnacion and Gary Bennett's back-to- back homers highlighted a seven-run ninth as the St. Louis Cardinals routed the Houston Astros 8-1 in the opener of a three-game set at Minute Maid Park. Encarnacion's homer to left, off Chad Qualls (4-3), broke a 1-1 tie. Bennett extended the lead with his homer, also to left, on the next pitch and the Cardinals poured it on from there. Scott Spiezio hit a two-run double, pitcher Kip Wells had an RBI pinch-hit single, and Bennett capped the outburst with a two-run double. Adam Wainwright went seven innings, allowing one run on four hits, while walking four and striking out six. Ryan Franklin (2-0) got the win, surrendering one hit and one walk in the eighth for the Cardinals, who have won three straight. Roy Oswalt yielded just one run on four hits, while walking two and striking out four for the Astros, who have lost 11 of their last 12. Hunter Pence had two hits and Carlos Lee drove in a run for Houston, which finished with five hits. The Cardinals got on the board in the fourth. Albert Pujols led off with a double to left and scored after a sacrifice bunt by Jim Edmonds. On the play, Lance Berkman took a shot at getting Pujols for the double play, but his throw was errant, and Pujols scored. The Astros tied it at 1-1 in the sixth. Pence led off with a single and stole second, before Lee drilled an RBI double to deep center on the 14th pitch of his at-bat.