Matt Carpenter helps the Cardinals complete the scan

ST. LOUIS – While Matt Carpenter looked for momentum, one of the things he focused on was finding the opposite way to beat the shift that appears every time the left-hander takes the lead.
His performance in the Cardinals' 11-4 win on Sunday afternoon and his four-game sweep

ST. LOUIS – As Matt Carpenter has sought his momentum, one of the things he has focused on is to hit the opposite path to defeat the change of gear that appears every time the southpaw takes the lead.

His performance in the Cardinals '11-4 win on Sunday afternoon and the Rockies' sweep at Busch Stadium after four games was a testament to his efforts.

His three-on-four day included a walk and a solo home run. Carpenter's first RBI single in the second inning was a left-field ground ball – evading the Rockies camp's change.

This is a sign that Carpenter, entered Sunday, scored .191 (9 against 47) in 18 games after retiring from the list of injured on August 3, he regains momentum and feels good.

• The score of the box

"It feels good to be able to use both sides of the board, hit a ball, hit a ball," Carpenter said. "Just having good bats. It feels good in the box. It feels good to feel good in the box.

"It feels good to help us win a baseball game."

With his first Colorado sweep since four games since 2010, St. Louis has won one of MLB's top 13 goals in his last 16 games and ranks first in the National League, two and a half games in front of the Cubs in second place. Carpenter joined the offensive power as the Cardinals showed all the series. They scored 31 points in four games and Carpenter played his first game with several points produced since June 25 in Oakland.

Carpenter's struggles this season have resulted in a division of play time between him and Tommy Edman, which was 3-in-4 on Sunday and 7-in-16 on the series. But Sunday was an opportunity to get out of the crisis and Carpenter took advantage of it. He took what he was working on – adapting to pitchers, swinging on the right shots and directing the ball – and applied it to each of his trumps.

"Just a good day," Carpenter said. "Try to take advantage of the opportunity to go out and have good attackers. I am happy to be able to contribute to what has been a great team win for us. … I am happy to be able to play and help us win. I'm ready to play when I can, and today was a good day for our club, a good day for me and it was fun to contribute. "

Carpenter has been called since the beginning of the game, said Cardinals manager Mike Shildt. It was his first start in the series and he was not going to let him lose.

"It's the Matt Carpenter that has got us used and expected," said Shildt. "At each bat, his timing was right, and he was at the moment with his eyes and body. They are big leagues, elite batting. "

Carpenter's RBI single in the second inning was part of a six-run series that the Cardinals had prepared. Marcell Ozuna – who finished the 6-in-13 series with two home runs – started with a triple to get things done. Paul Goldschmidt scored a single in two innings in the inning and finished the 7-in-16 series with a home run.

The Cardinals' offensive meets at the right moment. It is headed by Goldschmidt and Ozuna, who strike respectively 0.459 and 0.556 in August, and are the cornerstone of the offense.

But offensive production is not due to the two sluggers in the middle of training. All Cardinals hitters are in good position right now.

"It's a beautiful thing," said Shildt. "These two guys are going, Carp, Tommy Edman, big day today. Everyone across the range having good bats. Get Carp into that mix, do some damage, go for walks, do what he's able to do with Goldy and Ozuna and the rest of the crew – it's a lethal range. "