CINCINNATI(AP) -- The St. Louis Cardinals aren't exactly rolling
into the National League playoffs.

The Central Division-champions lost for the fourth time in five
games as Jay Bruce homered twice and had a career-high five RBIs
to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-2 win on Tuesday night.

St. Louis manager Tony La Russa is concerned that the Cardianls
might be too relaxed.

"You want to compete the best you can," La Russa said. "You
don't want to turn anything off. You can't turn it off and turn
it on. Nobody is that good."

Joel Pineiro (15-12) allowed seven runs and eight hits in six
innings to fall to 1-3 in his last four starts for the
Cardinals, who wrapped up the NL Central title with a 6-3 win at
Colorado on Saturday.

"I got behind a lot of hitters," Pineiro said. "I left a lot of
balls up. It was not a good day for me all around. I was not
getting out in front. I was trying to throw the ball around the
plate but the ball was moving a lot. When I got ahead, I
couldn't finish them. When I got behind I wanted to challenge
them. I didn't want to give them a walk. I got too much of the
plate and when I did they hit it hard.

"I'm glad I get one more start. I want to finish on a good note.
I need to fine tune some things and get ready for the next
level."

Albert Pujols, who entered with an NL record-tying five grand
slams this season, just missed another one when he hit a
sacrifice fly in the fifth off Homer Bailey that center fielder
Willy Taveras caught just short of the warning track. The
Cardinals slugger went 1 for 3, leaving him with a .328 batting
average.

"I knew he got under it a little bit, but it's still a little
scary, especially in this ballpark," Bailey said. "Somebody as
strong as he is can pop it up and it still will go over the
fence. That was a big sigh of relief for me."

David Freese hit his first career homer for St. Louis in the
ninth.

Bailey pitched seven solid innings and Joey Votto also connected
for the Reds, who have won seven of eight. Brandon Phillips
added two hits.

Bailey (7-5) allowed one run and seven hits to improve to 5-1
with a 1.89 ERA in his last eight starts.

"Bailey threw the ball great," La Russa said. "He hit the
catcher's glove all night long. We got a lot of hits but when
the pitcher is throwing like that you're not going to do a lot."

Bailey also earned his first career win against a St. Louis
lineup that impresses Reds manager Dusty Baker.

"They have a good lineup - one of the best around, and they
don't even have (Yadier Molina), who's a good clutch hitter,"
Baker said.

Bruce got Cincinnati off to fast start in the second, hitting a
3-1 pitch into the visitors' bullpen in right for a three-run
homer. Phillips led off the inning with an infield single and
Scott Rolen followed with a walk.

It was Bruce's 21st homer and second in his last three at-bats.
He went deep in the ninth inning Saturday in Houston and
grounded out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning on Sunday.'

Bruce is 12 for 32 with four homers and 16 RBI in 13 games,
including six starts, since missing two months with a fractured
right wrist. He credited his sudden surge to a change in his
footwork.

"I stopped double-tapping," he said, referring to eliminating an
extra step with his front foot. "That gives me more time to see
the ball."

Votto hit his 24th homer in the third and the Reds added three
more in the sixth to make it 6-1. Rolen hit an RBI single before
Bruce hit a drive into the seats in right-center.

NOTES: Bruce has five multihomer games in his career, three this
season. ... St. Louis 3B Troy Glaus pinch-hit in the seventh
inning in his first appearance since being sidelined since Sept.
12 with a strained muscle in his left side. Glaus was activated
on Sept. 1 after spending the entire season on the DL while
coming back from right shoulder surgery late in spring training.
Glaus hit .176 in eight games before his latest injury. ...
Molina has "a great chance" to play in Cincinnati, La Russa
said. Molina left Saturday's game in Colorado with a bruised
left knee. ... Cardinals C Matt Pagnozzi made his major league
debut, entering the game in the bottom of the seventh. ... Pete
Rose watched part of the game from field-level seats behind the
plate. ... Bailey improved to 1-3 with a 7.06 ERA in five career
starts against the Cardinals.