Quick Hits: Cardinals Power Past Mets

For those who wrote off St. Louis' new look and new lineup, they made a believer out of new Mets ace, Johan Santana, yesterday in Spring Training.

New year. New team. New season. Same results.

Donning tribute hats with a "K" on them in honor of the victims of the Kirkwood tragedy, the new look Cardinals took the field for another battle with an old rival, the New York Mets.

What happened was the Cardinals showing they are not dead. They are alive and kicking some serious @$$!

Albert Pujols and Juan Gonzalez made Santana's debut memorable as they drilled Johan for a couple of homers in the Cardinals' win over the New York Mets in Grapefruit League play.

Hoping to make the Cardinals’ final roster, Gonzalez improved his chances of that by nailing a three-run shot on his first at-bat against Santana.

The newly named "Spirit of St. Louis" Albert Pujols did what he does best: Deliver the goods. Pujols, along with Brendan Ryan, got some extra base hits while Pujols jacked one out of the park in the sixth inning to extend the Cardinals lead to 4-3.

Not to be outdone, baseball's sprint man, Jose Reyes, got a single in the first and added an RBI in the fourth inning. The duo of Moises Alou and David Wright drove in runs to try to keep pace with the Cards. But Ruben Gotay got a solo shot off of Ron Flores in the ninth. Unfortunately, Flores didn't let another run come around after that as the Cardinals went on to win, 5-4.

So far this season, the Cards are 2-0 in Spring Training and looking to continue their newly acquired winning ways as they head back to Jupiter, Florida for the first of a seven-game stretch with the Florida Marlins.

If things keep clicking for the Cardinals, expect them to continue opening up a can of whoop @$$ en route to Opening Day in 24 days.