It did not come easy though. Reliever turned starter Kyle McClellan gave up a two-run homerun to Lyle Overbay in the first inning.

Despite being no-hit for three innings, the Cardinals battled back. After a leadoff double by Lance Berkman, Allen Craig slapped a base hit up the middle to get the Birds on the board.

Trailing by one, Albert Pujols finally came through. With one out and runners on the corner’s, Pujols hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 2-2.

Kyle McClellan settled down and pitched 6 solid innings of 2 run ball. He allowed 6 hits and struck out 7 in his debut as a starter.

In the bottom of the seventh, SS Ryan Theriot got on base for the third time and Colby Rasmus singled on a line drive to center field. Pujols then knocked a base hit into left field to score Theriot and the Cardinals took a 3-2 lead.

The St. Louis bullpen pitched three scoreless innings to give the Cardinals the win. The win puts them at 2-3 overall with a chance to win the series tomorrow against the Pirates (and finish the opening homestand at .500) before heading out to the West Coast for a 10 game road trip.

To all those who decided to boo Albert in those first four games were quick to remember how great he truly is.