KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Gil Meche threw a 95 mph fastball up and away that Albert Pujols somehow fouled off. On the next pitch, the St. Louis slugger smashed a changeup off the windows of the Royals Hall of Fame in left for a grand slam.

Sure, the pitch was a little up, but even the best hitters aren't supposed to do that.

"The speed differential, for a guy to be on a pitch like that, it doesn't happen," Meche said. "He's one of those elite guys."

And, boy, does he like hitting against the Royals.

Pujols finished off a three-day romp in Kansas City with two homers and six RBIs, helping the Cardinals rout the Royals 12-5 Sunday to give manager Tony La Russa career win No. 2,500.

La Russa joined Connie Mack (3,831) and John McGraw (2,763) as the only managers with 2,500 career victories. La Russa is 2,500-2,177 in 31 years as a big league manager with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland and St. Louis.

"You've got to be around a long time and in great situations, and that's what I've been," said La Russa, who has 1,180 wins in 14 seasons with the Cardinals.