KANSAS CITY, Mo.--Terry Pendleton already had done some damage with his glove. Now, he wanted to do it with his bat.

The hero of the World Series opener for his fielding Saturday night, Pendleton hit a two-out, three-run double that capped a four-run rally in the ninth inning last night as the St. Louis Cardinals beat Kansas City, 4-2.

The victory gave the Cardinals a 2-0 led in the best-of-seven Series, which now goes to St. Louis for game three tomorrow night. Cardinals right-hander Joaquin Andujar, 21-12 during the season, will face right-hander Bret Saberhagen, 20-6, the 21-year-old ace of Kansas City's staff.

"I was really pumped up," Pendleton said. "I really wanted to do some damage in that situation."

The damage was grave, and it must have been an unpleasant flashback for Royals lefthander Charlie Leibrandt, who took a two-hit shutout into the ninth. Leibrandt, 17-9 during the season, lost game four of the American League playoffs against Toronto after taking a 1-0 lead into the ninth.

This time, after allowing only two hits through eight innings, he had the bases loaded and two outs with Pendleton coming up and relief ace Dan Quisenberry warming up in the bullpen.

"I thought Charlie was in complete command, and [pitching coach] Gary Blaylock and I agreed it was his game to win or lose," Royals Manager Dick Howser said.

Royals center fielder Willie Wilson didn't agree, saying only, "Anybody who knows baseball knows what he should have done."

Leibrandt refused to talk, but lose he did, and there were two philosophers in the St. Louis clubhouse who shared insights into the stunning comeback.

St. Louis Manager Whitey Herzog: "Sometimes, I guess you're not supposed to win a ballgame. I don't think we hit any ball good. It was just one of those things that happen."

Left fielder Tito Landrum, who had a key double in the rally: "I guess we're from the Yogi Berra School. It ain't over 'til it's over. It's just like we knew it was in the cards."

Pendleton helped the Cardinals win the Series opener, 3-1, with a run-saving play in the fourth inning. With one out and Jim Sundberg on third base, Pendleton fielded a bloop foul by Steve Balboni down the left side, turned and threw out Sundberg, who was trying to tag up and score.

Thirty-five times in the previous 81 World Series, teams that have taken the first two games, and 27 times, they have gone on to win. But perhaps even more telling, the Cards were the 10th team to take a 2-0 lead on the road, the first since the Oakland A's in 1972, and all previous nine have gone on to win the Series.

Plus, the Cardinals have the advantage of going home, where they had the second-best record in baseball this season and where they swept the Dodgers in the playoffs after losing the first two games in Los Angels.

Pendleton said he didn't expect to face Leibrandt in the ninth. The Royals lefty already had faced six hitters in the inning, and one run already had scored on a single by Jack Clark.

"It was a big lift," Pendleton said of the rally, "especially the way Leibrandt was pitching. It was a great comeback. I really thought he'd gone, though. I really thought they would bring in some of their good relievers."