St. Louis ? The new Busch Stadium was both a hitter’s and pitcher’s park in its opening game – at least for Mark Mulder.

The Cardinals’ left-hander worked into the ninth inning and hit his first career home run, helping St. Louis beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-4, Monday in the first major-league game at the $365 million ballpark.

“It was just his day,” the Brewers’ Bill Hall said. “And there’s nothing we could do about it.”

Mulder batted only .145 in his first NL season last year. But the exploits of Jason Marquis, who batted .310 with a homer and 10 RBIs, and the rest of a staff that keeps close track of its hitting gave him incentive to improve his offense.

“He’s happy for me, but I think way deep down inside he’s mad,” Mulder said of Marquis. “He just won’t admit it. They already said I’m icing my back because I was swinging too hard.”

Scott Rolen’s two-run double in the fourth off Tomo Ohka (0-1) gave the Cardinals the lead for good, and Albert Pujols hit his fourth homer, a drive to the left-center power alley estimated at 445 feet.

The Cardinals’ first full day at the new ballpark began on a festive note, with Pujols and Chris Carpenter, the NL MVP and Cy Young Award winners, throwing out dual ceremonial first pitches to retired Cardinals greats Willie McGee and Bob Gibson. It stayed festive most of the day for a sellout crowd of 41,936 anxious for something positive after the Cardinals got swept at Chicago.

“It’s nice to be home,” Jim Edmonds said. “It’s been a long six weeks in spring training and then start off on the road. It’s a beautiful place, and I’m glad we could pull out a win for everybody.”

St. Louis Cardinals' Mark Mulder takes a curtain call after hitting a two run home run in the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers during the Cardinals home opener on Monday, April 10, 2006, at the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Hall’s two-run homer in the second was the only damage off Mulder (1-0). Hall was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles for Milwaukee, which has lost two straight after a 5-0 start that put the Brewers in the NL Central lead. But they put a scare into the Cardinals with two runs in the ninth and the go-ahead run at the plate.

“We’ve got a bunch of young kids that have a lot of heart,” manager Ned Yost said. “Anytime you’re down four runs and get the winning run to the plate in the ninth you’ve done something.”

Dodgers 8, Pirates 3

Pittsburgh – Odalis Perez (1-0) limited the already slumping Pirates to one run and five hits over 51â3 innings. Zach Duke (0-1) gave up seven runs and eight hits in five-plus innings.

Astros 5, Nationals 4

Houston – Eric Bruntlett hit a sacrifice fly off Mike Stanton (0-1) that scored Craig Biggio in the 12th.

Braves 5, Phillies 3

Atlanta – Marcus Giles hit a tiebreaking homer in Atlanta’s home opener.