"After slumping to a .143 average and just three hits in 21 at-bats to start the season, maybe all outfielder Ryan Ludwick needed was a little home cooking.

The All-Star had more hits Monday than he had in the first six games of the season, going 4-for-4 with a triple to help propel the Cardinals to a 5-0 win over the Houston Astros in their home opener at Busch Stadium.

"It feels good," Ludwick said. "It definitely feels good. I think someone brought up the point that I had more hits today than I did the entire season coming in, so that's nice. But most important I think is getting this first win at home."

Ludwick enjoyed a great spring training but began slumping just as the club was about to leave Florida. He had just two RBIs, two runs and three total bases in six games in Cincinnati and Milwaukee to open the season.

Batting second in the lineup for the third time this season, Ludwick singled in the first, third and fifth innings before tripling off the wall in center in the seventh.

"I can tell when I am in a good position to hit a baseball and today I felt like when I was striding toward the baseball, I was in a good position to hit," Ludwick said. "Earlier I felt I was bending over at the waste a lot and chasing balls out of the zone at times and that's a tough way to hit.

"I just think it's a confidence factor. Spring was spring. You can have great springs, you can have bad springs. I had a terrible swing the year before and I turned the page and had a good first month. I think anytime you are starting a season off, you can get anxious at times because everyone wants to do well. Nobody wants to be in a whole. The key is not to press and to trust your ability and just let things happen."

Ludwick scored in the third inning on the fifth home run of the season by Albert Pujols, who is batting .407 with an NL-best 14 RBIs and five round-trippers in seven games this season. It was Pujols' conversation with Ludwick a few days ago that helped the right fielder turn the corner."