LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Jeff Suppan retired the final 14 batters he faced and Albert Pujols hit a crucial three-run home run as St. Louis registered a 6-2 win over Los Angeles and closed out their National League Division Playoff Series in four games.
"Great win, great team effort and we are looking forward to things to come," Suppan said late Sunday.
By advancing to the National League Championship Series for the third time in five seasons, the Cardinals put behind them their game three woes, when they managed just five singles.
Against Perez and Alvarez (0-1), the best offence in the league saw a return to form as Pujols finished with four RBI, Reggie Sanders added a solo homer and Larry Walker scored three runs.
The early offence gave Suppan (1-0) some wiggle room and he dominated with the lead.
A 16-game winner in the regular season, Suppan made his first career playoff appearance a superb one, allowing two runs and two hits in seven innings.
"It was awesome. He (Suppan) played like he can and came in and got the big win for us," Pujols said.
After Pujols snapped a 2-2 contest with a three-run shot to left in the fourth, Suppan kept the Dodgers off base until he was pulled for Julian Tavarez at the start of the eighth.
Ray King got the final out of the eighth and Jason Isringhausen worked around a two-out walk in the ninth.
Meanwhile, JD Drew singled to drive in a run in the top of the ninth inning and lift the Atlanta Braves to a 6-5 win over Houston on Sunday and force the Astros into Monday's fifth and deciding game.
The winner was John Smoltz (1-0), who escaped a dicey situation in the eighth, then worked out of real trouble in the ninth inning.
With runners at the corners and one out, Smoltz got Jeff Kent - the most productive offensive second baseman of his era - to bounce into a game-ending double play.
"It's tough to score runs against him," Kent said of Smoltz. "You have to get a big lead against them early so you don't have to worry about him."
The normally reserved Smoltz let out a yell and pumped his fist as Furcal stepped on second and fired to first.
"I was honestly trying to get a double-play ball, get him to pull an outside pitch," Smoltz said. "It kind of happened in slow motion."
The win ended Houston's 18-game winning streak at their home field. The Astros had not lost at home since August 22.
"Streaks are streaks, they have got to come to an end sometime," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said.
Game five in the best-of-five National League series is Monday in Atlanta. The Braves are expected to use with game one starter Jaret Wright while the Astros - who are 0-7 in postseason series - are planning to go with 20-game winner Roy Oswalt.
The most controversial decision Houston manager Phil Garner made came in the ninth inning on Sunday when, with Rafael Furcal at second and two outs, he opted to have righthander Russ Springer (0-1) pitch to the lefthanded-hitting Drew with slumping Marcus Giles - a righthanded hitter - on deck.
The move backfired as Springer fell behind Drew, who lined a 3-2 pitch for a single into right-center field, easily scoring Furcal.