Chris Carpenter benefitted from four double plays and offensive support from the newcomers as he turned back the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 6-1 win Monday night at Busch Stadium.

Carpenter went seven innings, but thought he could have spotted some of his pitches a little better, but got the ground balls when he needed them.  Carpenter gave up nine hits and two walks and was fortunate to leave the game with a 2-1 lead.

In the seventh, the Cardinals got to the bullpen after Dodgers’ starter Randy Wolf held the Cardinals to just two runs.  Mark DeRosa hit his 18 th home run of the season off reliever James McDonald.  A Casey Blake throwing error kept the inning alive and Rick Ankiel singled and Brendan Ryan drove in a two runs with a double all after two outs.

Matt Holliday responded to a standing ovation in his first at-bat by doubling and scoring.  The Cardinals offense certainly looks more potent with Holliday and DeRosa playing every day, but a big key to last night’s win was Rick Ankiel who picked up two more hits and raised his average to .240.  Brendan Ryan, who wasn’t sure what his future would be after the Cardinals moved Skip Schumaker to second and signed Khalil Greene to play short, has been a steady middle infielder the Cardinals were looking for.  He raised his average to .286 after going 4 for 4. 

The Cardinals remained a half game behind Chicago who won 5-1 in 13 innings after an Alfonso Soriano grand slam.