Bennett's Big Bat Carrying Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals Gary Bennett follows through on his ninth inning two out RBI single that scored Preston Wilson from second base during their baseball game on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Bennett hit the game-winning single in the 2-1 victory over the Cubs, but also hit his first career grand slam off of Cubs Bob Howry for a 10-6 victory on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006. The game-winning grand slam on Sunday night was only his second career game-winning home run. (AP Photo/Kyle Ericson) (Kyle Ericson - AP)

ST. LOUIS -- Usually, Albert Pujols is the St. Louis hitter opposing teams worry about most. Right now the Cardinals' most dangerous player may be Gary Bennett, a journeyman catcher playing for his seventh team in six seasons.

Bennett hit a game-winning ninth-inning single on Saturday, then topped himself with his first career grand slam for another final at-bat victory Sunday. He's on quite a run _ and he's got no idea how it's happening.

"I don't know what to tell you," Bennett said. "There's not one thing I can pinpoint and say I'm different mechanically or anything like that.

"I guess it's just a hot streak."

Among players who've been on the roster all season, Bennett has the fewest at-bats (136). That figures, since manager Tony La Russa likes to use his backup catcher only in an emergency.

Bennett has been getting regular duty lately because Yadier Molina is out with a strained right elbow. A 12-for-17 tear has raised his still-modest average to .243, and all four of his homers this season have come in his last nine games.

"Gary Bennett has been outstanding," pitcher Jeff Weaver said. "These last few games, it's been fun to watch."

More fun for Bennett, of course. He compared the feeling of making perfect contact on his two-out, game-winning grand slam off Bob Howry on Sunday to that of a wide-eyed 4-year-old surveying piles of presents on Christmas morning.

"You round third and you see all of your teammates waiting on you, and jumping up and down and hollering at you," Bennett said. "That's wild."

A little dangerous, too. Players have been injured in those home plate scrums.

"Other than some punches in the ribs and pats on the head, I just heard a lot of guys yelling," he said. "Including me. I try to keep my helmet on and go in low so I can avoid most of the swipes."

Bennett's sudden emergence on offense could force the Cardinals to reassess their catching rotation, given the team's hitting woes. Molina is one of the top defensive catchers in the major leagues, but he's been in a season-long slump at the plate and is hitting .218 with five homers and 42 RBIs in 339 at-bats. Bennett has four homers and 22 RBIs.