Pujols finally ended a five-hour game that saw the Cardinals win their third straight and stay in a virtual tie with the Chicago Cubs atop the National League Central. The Dodgers have lost four in a row.
St. Louis scored in the ninth to tie it at 1-1 and both sides produced a run in the 11th.
Los Angeles missed a chance to take the lead in the 12th when Manny Ramirez was thrown out at home trying to score from second on a two-out single by Casey Blake.
Jeff Weaver (5-4), the sixth Los Angeles pitcher, was on the mound for his third inning of work when Brendan Ryan led off the 15th with a triple.
Pinch-hitter Jason LaRue popped out to first and Lugo drew a walk, putting runners on first and third. Mark DeRosa then hit a grounder to shortstop and Ryan was thrown out at home attempting to score. That brought up Pujols, who singled to center on the eighth pitch of the at bat.
That made a winner out of Blake Hawksworth (1-0), who captured his first major league victory after being recalled from Class AAA Memphis last weekend. Hawksworth worked the final three innings.
Los Angeles closer Jonathan Broxton retired the first two men in the ninth while trying to protect a 1-0 lead, but he gave up a single to Ryan Ludwick and threw a wild pitch that moved Ludwick to second. A single by Colby Rasmus brought in Ludwick with the tying run.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International.
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