"Outfielder Lance Berkman believes having the night off in Thursday's series finale against San Francisco will benefit him more in the big picture than it did in his return to the lineup Friday against Chicago.

That thinking may be hard to support after Berkman ended an 0-for-13 hitless drought with a three-run home run in the first inning, a blast that allowed the Cardinals to never look back in a 6-1 win over the Cubs.

"I would think that's more cumulative than acute ... like one day you're going to come out and feel great, just because of a day off," Berkman said, not buying into the latter part of his comment. "I think if you can pace yourself throughout the season, on the whole, you'll keep your body in better shape and you won't get as beat up and you'll be better longer."

Berkman's 12th home run of the season was his first since May 15 at Cincinnati and his first from the left side of the plate since May 2 against Florida.

He smashed a 1-1 pitch 412 feet off Chicago pitcher Ryan Dempster for a 3-0 lead, after Ryan Theriot had led off the Cardinals' inning with a double and Albert Pujols walked."