LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- One night after failing to solve Jose Lima , the St. Louis Cardinals took out their frustration on Los Angeles Dodgers starter Odalis Perez and reliever Wilson Alvarez .

Albert Pujols hit a crucial three-run homer and Jeff Suppan retired the final 14 batters he faced as the Cardinals posted a 6-2 triumph over the Dodgers and closed out their National League Division Series in four games.

By advancing to the National League Championship Series for the third time in five seasons, the Cardinals put behind them their Game Three struggles, when they managed just five singles against Lima. Against Perez and Alvarez (0-1), the best offense in the league saw a return to form as Pujols finished with four RBI, Reggie Sanders added a solo homer and Larry Walker scored three times.

"I have great hitters behind me so I don't have to do everything," Pujols said. "We got (Scott) Rolen, Edgar (Renteria) and (Jim) Edmonds, and they're all clutch. We have a bunch of clutch hitters and we know how to win. That's all that matters."

"Lima threw well and you have to tip your cap to him," Rolen said. "As soon as that one's over, you have to move on and consider the next one. That's the way we've done it all year and that's what we did after last night."

The early offense gave Suppan (1-0) some room for error and he cruised with the lead. A 16-game winner in the regular season, Suppan made his first career postseason appearance a dominant one, allowing two runs and two hits in seven innings.

"It's very satisfying," Suppan said. "Runs always make it easier, especially in that situation. With the help we have here offensively and defensively, you can get real comfortable."

After Pujols snapped a 2-2 contest with a three-run shot to left in the fourth, Suppan kept the Dodgers off base until he was pulled for Julian Tavarez at the start of the eighth.

"Probably the biggest thing that happened was getting the lead for Soup (Suppan)," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "We got the lead then Soup threw his shutdown innings. That kept the crowd out of it and kept them from coming back on us. Those shutdown innings made the difference. If you let them scratch a couple it's a different ballgame."

Ray King got the final out of the eighth and Jason Isringhausen worked around a two-out walk in the ninth.

After Isringhausen struck out Alex Cora to end the game, the Cardinals engaged in a brief celebration on the mound. The Dodgers then came onto the field to congratulate the team with the best record in the National League.

Both managers talked about the gesture before the series started.

"They had class," Suppan said of the teams shaking hands. "We were two teams that battled. There's a lot of mutual respect."

The Cardinals will host either Atlanta or Houston in Game One of the NLCS on Wednesday.

"We thought we had a chance to win the big ring," La Russa said. "We've got eight more wins to go. The NLCS will be tough, but we're right where we want to be."

"It's a long series now," Pujols said. "Any of these guys we play next round, they're great teams. It's not a short series. We'll make the adjustments we need to and see where it takes us. Everyone in here believes we can go all the way."

Perez, pitching on three days' rest, lasted just 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and three hits. He battled his control, walking five, and left with Los Angeles trailing 2-1.

"I was fine, I was ready," Perez said. "I thought about this game a lot last night. I was happy to pitch today. I was very surprised when I was taken out. I was fine. I was ready to pitch the best game of my life."

The Dodgers came back to tie, but Alvarez fell apart in the fourth, allowing Pujols' second homer of the series.

"It's the biggest hit I've had so far in my career," Pujols said. "I was comfortable up there against him. I stepped in wanting to find my pitch. It feels good."

The Dodgers bullpen allowed just a run and two hits over the final five innings, but their offense - which led the league in come-from-behind victories - was unable to rally this time.

Los Angeles has not won a postseason series since capturing the 1988 World Series.

"A lot of people didn't think we'd make it this far," said Los Angeles third baseman Adrian Beltre , who had just one RBI. "We felt like we could go even farther. We lost to a good baseball team. There's a reason they are where they are."

"The Cardinals have the best team in baseball," Dodgers first baseman Shawn Green said. "There's a reason why they won 105 games. We've played all the teams that are left and they're the best. They don't have any holes in their lineup and all their pitchers give them good outings."