NEW YORK (AP) -The key hits that will be remembered best from the St. Louis Cardinals' come-from-behind 9-6 victory over the New York Mets in Game 2 of the NLCS are So Taguchi 's go-ahead home run off Billy Wagner in the ninth inning and Scott Spiezio 's game-tying two-run triple in the seventh.

Perhaps lost in the shuffle was Jim Edmonds ' two-run home run in the third. That tied the score at 4 after the Mets jumped on shaky Chris Carpenter .

It was the latest in a long string of clutch hits for Edmonds.

''Jim has a history of rising to the occasion,'' manager Tony La Russa said. ''All you've got to do is just get him healthy enough to play, and that's really the secret.''

Edmonds, 36, went a month between starts due to post-concussion syndrome and is taking daily injections to numb a sore left foot. He had 16 homers on July 26, and only three the rest of the season.

Mets pitcher John Maine found out just how dangerous Edmonds still is. Edmonds entered the postseason with 14 extra-base hits in the division series, tied for first on the career list with Chipper Jones , and the homer was his 12th of the postseason.

''Even now, he likes the challenge of hitting behind Albert (Pujols) and he's got a good stroke when he gets it going,'' La Russa said.

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CHANGING TIMES: Back when they were opponents, Willie Randolph used to get annoyed at Carlos Delgado for being so chatty on the field.

Now, Randolph loves the personality and leadership Delgado brings to the New York Mets ' clubhouse.

Delgado played mostly first base for Toronto from 1993-2004, and Randolph spent 1994-2004 coaching with the Yankees.

''You watch Carlos over the years, it always disturbed me a little bit because he's almost too relaxed,'' said Randolph, now in his second season managing the Mets. ''When I was at third base giving the signs, he would always talk to my guys on first base and I would get on his case about shutting his mouth.

''He got mad at me one time because I really got on his case because I was really getting frustrated: 'Shut your mouth, you're over there yapping all the time, and my guys are missing signs and you're pulling at them and talking to them,''' Randolph added. ''It was good-natured, but I don't think he took it too well. I'm sure he got over it.''

Still, Randolph said he was ''ecstatic'' when the Mets acquired Delgado from Florida in a trade last offseason. And the big slugger fit right in, hitting 38 homers with 114 RBIs this year.

Playing in the postseason for the first time in his 14-year career, Delgado is 10-for-22 (.455) with three homers, two doubles and six RBIs in five playoff games.

''This is great,'' Delgado said. ''Having the opportunity to be here and to have the opportunity to win is an amazing feeling.''

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COOL ROOKIE: There was no time for Josh Kinney to pause and reflect on how far he's come. The former Independent League pitcher was too busy helping the Cardinals even the NL championship series.

Kinney worked out of trouble in a scoreless eighth inning to help St. Louis beat the New York Mets 9-6 in Game 2 Friday night. The 27-year-old rookie got Carlos Beltran to ground into an inning-ending double play with the game tied at 6, and earned the victory.

Jose Reyes singled with one out in the eighth and Paul Lo Duca walked to bring up the dangerous Beltran, batting .455 in the postseason. Beltran's two-run home run off Jeff Weaver was the big hit in Game 1.

Not this time.

''Obviously you get the adrenaline factor and it's a playoff game and I don't have a whole lot of playoff experience,'' Kinney said. ''But it's still baseball. It's still the same game.''

He wasn't surprised that La Russa left him in.

''This is where you want to be,'' Kinney said. ''Apparently he felt confident in me and I'm not going to ask him to come out of the game.

''I had a plan against Beltran and luckily it worked out.''

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PROUD PUJOLS: Albert Pujols is one of the best players in the major leagues. Lately, he's been one of the haughtiest, too.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa doesn't condone Pujols' occasional arrogance. But he said it's part of the package with his star, who has a good chance to win his second straight NL MVP award.

''You get those guys after the competition and they're not accountable,'' La Russa said. ''They don't want to give credit, they're (mad) that we got beat and people take it literally.

''If he was more diplomatic he wouldn't be as ferociously competitive either, and I'll take the ferocious competitor.''

The last several weeks, Pujols' reaction to failure is he missed some good pitches to hit, never that he was pitched well. He gave no credit to the Padres' Chris Young in the first round, and the Mets' Tom Glavine got the same treatment after New York's 2-0 victory in Game 1 of the NL championship series Thursday night.

''He wasn't good, he wasn't good at all,'' Pujols said after going 0-for-2 with a walk against the 40-year-old left-hander. ''I think we hit the ball hard. We didn't get some breaks.''

Pujols also scoffed about getting doubled off first base on a routine fly ball to center in the fourth inning.

''Nothing-nothing,'' he said, recounting the score after his gaffe. ''I can't make a mistake? Am I perfect?''

Mets fans booed him during every at-bat in Game 2. Pujols had no comment after the game.

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MORE THAN A FILL-IN: Endy Chavez started in left field for the Mets in Game 2, replacing an ailing Cliff Floyd again. He was 1-for-4, hitting a leadoff double in the second and scoring.

Chavez has given New York a surprising boost all season, providing outstanding defense at all three outfield spots and a .306 batting average with 42 RBIs and 22 doubles.

''He's probably one of the best outfielders out there,'' teammate Carlos Delgado said. ''He's fast, he's got a great arm and he can put the bat on the ball. He can bunt. I mean, he gives us another weapon.''

Chavez entered in the third inning of Game 1 after Floyd reinjured his left Achilles' tendon and made a diving, snow-cone catch.

''I saw it on the replay. I said, 'Wow.' I'm glad it didn't come out,'' Chavez said. ''Cliff said, 'Thanks for everything.'''

Chavez, who batted eighth against Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter in Game 2, knows exactly what his strength is.

''My game is speed, all my career,'' Chavez said.