Walker among Cardinal homer hitters

St. Louis tied a postseason record by hitting five home runs.
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Larry Walker savored the moment -- make that moments -- from the top step of the St. Louis Cardinals' dugout.
Walker drew two curtain calls with a pair of homers and St. Louis tied a postseason record by hitting five home runs in an 8-3 victory over Odalis Perez and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday in Game 1 of the National League division series.
"I never had one in my career before I came to St. Louis, but it's kind of like old hat here," Walker said. "I wish you could experience it one time and see what it's like. It's quite amazing to tip your hat and have everybody cheer a little bit higher decibel level when you step on that top step."
Others going deep
Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds and Mike Matheny also homered to help the Cardinals tie the record for postseason homers set by the 1928 Yankees (World Series) and matched by the 1984 Cubs (NLCS) and 1989 Athletics (World Series).
Pujols, who hit 46 homers in the regular season, produced the game's first runs with a shot to left-center in the first off Perez. Walker, acquired from the Rockies in August and making his second career postseason appearance, started a five-run, third-inning surge -- all with two outs -- with a shot over the right-field wall.
After a two-run double by Edgar Renteria, Edmonds hit a two-run shot to right. Matheny connected in the fourth off Elmer Dessens, and Walker homered off Giovanni Carrara leading off the seventh.
"You can't defend home runs, that's for sure," Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said "And they hit a few of them today."
Add in a strong six-inning performance from Woody Williams and the Cardinals looked every bit as dominating as they did in leading the majors with 105 wins and leading the NL in runs and batting average.
Back to Busch
Game 2 of the best-of-five series is Thursday night at Busch Stadium, where the Cardinals also swept the Dodgers in a three-game series in early September. Jason Marquis pitches for St. Louis against Jeff Weaver.
The Cardinals clinched the NL Central on Sept. 18 before ending the season on cruise control, going 8-7 while La Russa seldom used his regular lineup. The finish featured the team's only four-game losing streak of the year, causing some consternation among the fans.
When they again got to play a game that mattered, they pulled away quickly, hammering Perez for three homers in 2 2-3 innings. Two of the biggest hits came on consecutive at-bats from players whose performance dragged at the finish.
Renteria, 3-for-21 in his last six games, had a two-run double in the five-run third that broke open the game. Edmonds, who entered the postseason in a 1-for-29 slump, followed with a two-run homer to chase Perez. Plus, Walker is 1-for-15 for his career in the regular season against Perez, and he struck out weakly his first time up.
"Really, the first at-bat was horrible," Walker said. "I just tried to cut down my swing, I tried to swing easy. I wasn't trying to hit a home run, just trying to hit a line drive somewhere, and up it went."
Disappointed Dodgers
A lack of support led to a franchise-record 18 no-decisions for Perez, 7-6 in 31 regular-season starts. This time, he was to blame.
"I don't know how to explain it," Perez said. "Walker hit the pitch I wanted, Pujols hit a changeup, the pitch I wanted to make. Renteria was a fastball in, the pitch I wanted to throw."
Perez's bottom line, six runs on five hits in 2 2-3 innings, was even worse than his spotty past record against the Cardinals. In four career regular-season starts, none of them this season, he's 2-1 but with a 9.64 ERA.
LOS ANGELESST. LOUIS
abrhbiabrhbi
Izturis ss5120Wmack 2b5000
Werth lf4021LWalkr rf4222
SFinley cf4000Pujols 1b4221
Beltre 3b4120Rolen 3b2100
ShGren 1b4000Rnteria ss2112
Brdley rf3010Edmnd cf4122
Cora 2b4011RSndrs lf4000
Mayne c2000Mtheny c4111
Vntura ph1000WWlms p2000
TWilsn c1111Cedeno ph1010
OPerez p1000Calero p0000
Dssens p0000King p0000
Grbwsk ph1000MAndn ph1000
Snchez p0000Isrnghs p0000
Vnafro p0000
Choi ph1000
Carrar p0000
Brzban p0000
JHrndz ph0000
Totals35393Totals33898
Los Angeles000011001--3
St. Louis10510010x--8
E--OPerez (1). DP--St. Louis 1. LOB--Los Angeles 7, St. Louis 5. 2B--Izturis (1), Werth (1), Renteria (1). 3B--Cora (1). HR--TWilson (1), LWalker 2 (2), Pujols (1), Edmonds (1), Matheny (1). SB--Bradley (1), Renteria (1). CS--Renteria (1).
IPHRERBBSO
Los Angeles
OPerez L,0-12 2-356623
Dessens1 1-311101
Sanchez1 2-310013
Venafro1-300000
Carrara121111
Brazoban100000
St. Louis
WWilliams W,1-0682212
Calero100002
King100001
Isringhausen111110
WP--Carrara. Umpires--Home, Dale Scott; First, Greg Gibson; Second, Chuck Meriwether; Third, Bruce Dreckman; Left, Gerry Davis; Right, Brian O'Nora. T--3:11. A--52,127.