Encarnacion’s homer, off Chad Qualls (4-3), hit the wall above the yellow line in left field and broke a 1-1 tie. Bennett extended the lead with his homer, also to left. Bennett added a two-run double that made it 8-1.
Scott Spiezio had a two-run double and pitcher Kip Wells got an RBI when his popup dropped in short right field.
The Cardinals have won three straight games. Houston has lost 11 of 12.
Albert Pujols doubled to lead off the fourth for St. Louis and scored after a sacrifice bunt and an error by first baseman Lance Berkman to make it 1-0.
Houston tied it at 1 in the sixth when Carlos Lee hit an RBI double on the 14th pitch of his at-bat. Lee’s hit sailed over a sprinting Jim Edmonds and landed on the hill in center.
Adam Wainwright gave up a double to Hunter Pence in the first inning but didn’t allow another hit until Pence’s single in the sixth. He allowed four hits and one run with six strikeouts in seven innings.
Houston starter Roy Oswalt retired the first eight batters before giving up singles to Wainwright and David Eckstein in the third. He allowed four hits and one run with four strikeouts in seven innings.
