Pujols Busts Out Of Mini-Slump

Albert Pujols’s hibernating bat woke up last night, as the 2005 NL MVP hit his first homer of the young season. The Cardinals crushed the Astros 10-1 in Houston after getting off to a slow start, thanks in large part to Pujols' 1-for-17 skid.

Off-season acquisition Kip Wells threw seven shutout innings as the Cardinals took two of three from their division rivals. The Cardinal lineup says the win boosted their flagging confidence. “We needed to get going, and obviously, that’s what we did today,” says Pujols. Third baseman Scott Rolen echoed those thoughts: “You can’t get confidence without success.” (More St. Louis Cardinals stories.)