Down to their last out, the Cardinals took advantage of a wild streak by Chicago Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol to score two runs in the ninth inning and snatch a 2-1 win today at Busch Stadium, keeping their flickering National League wild-card hopes alive.
Atlanta lost to Washington 4-1, leaving the Cardinals (87-71) two games behind the Braves (89-69) with four games to play.
The winning run scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded by Marmol, who had walked the three previous hitters, including pinch hitter Ryan Theriot on a close 3-2 pitch to force in the tying run.
Matt Holliday singled with one out to start the rally and pinch runner Tyler Greene stole second and continued to third when catcher Geovany Soto's throw hit Greene in the back. David Freese fanned but then Marmol walked Yadier Molina, Skip Schumaker and Theriot in succession, with the walk to Theriot coming on a close 3-2 pitch. .
The first pitch to Rafael Furcal was very low and inside and pinch runner Adron Chambers, who earlier in the inning had been trying to rouse the crowd and his teammates by waving his arms in the dugout, danced home from third with the winning run.
"Dramatic. Important." Those were Cardinals manager Tony La Russa's first two observations after the game.
"One of the best memories I'll have," said La Russa, "is the fans. They came out in the ninth inning and started making noise.
"It's a great moment."
Cardinals righthander Kyle Lohse, who had been seeking his 15th victory, got a no-decision despite allowing just one run and fanning a season-high eight in seven innings
The three-game series with Chicago and the regular-season home schedule will conclude with a 1:15 p.m. game on Sunday.
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PUJOLS REACHES 40
Albert Pujols reached base for the 40th consecutive game, a major league high this season, when he walked with one out in the sixth inning today at Busch Stadium.
Later, he kept the inning alive with good baserunning. Pujols went to third on a single by Lance Berkman, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games. Matt Holliday grounded a potential double-play ball to the right of Chicago third baseman Blake DeWitt. After DeWitt bobbled the ball a bit, Pujols crept down the third-base line, inducing DeWitt to make the play on him.
Pujols, though tagged for the second out, stayed in a rundown long enough for Berkman to reach third and Holliday second. But the Cardinals were stymied as David Freese lined to center.
The Cubs maintained their 1-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Cardinals righthander Kyle Lohse, seeking his 15th win, had fanned a season-high eight.
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HOLLIDAY RUNS INTO OUT
Matt Holliday, who had been sidelined with a tendon injury in his right hand, was back in the Cardinals' lineup today for the first time since Sept. 13. But his baserunning form was not quite back.
Holliday, after reaching base on a two-out error in the fourth, ran into an inning-ending out at third base as he challenged Chicago's Alfonso Soriano, not a defensive ace, on David Freese's single to left.
The Cubs led, 1-0, after four innings.
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SORIANO PUTS CUBS AHEAD
Alfonso Soriano, who crushed the Cardinals with a three-run homer on Friday, got the Chicago Cubs off to a quick start today with a two-out, run-scoring single in the first inning off Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse.
Soriano's hit followed singles by Darwin Barney and Bryan LaHair and boosted Sorianio's RBI count to 85.
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MOLINA CRACKS TOP 10
Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina began today in the top 10 in National League batting average for probably the first time in his career this late in the season. Molina was hitting .305, eighth in the league.
Generally, catchers don't have enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title (3.1 appearances per game is the standard) but Molina does. And he's riding a four-game hitting streak in which he has gone nine for 15..
Molina, one point ahead of first baseman Albert Pujols, could be the first catchr to lead the Cardinals in battiing average since Ted Simmons, who batted .287 in 1978.
"That's a pretty good example," said manager Tony La Russa. Molina batted .304 in 2008 but didn't have enough plate appearances to qualify for the official batting leaders.
Speaking of high-water marks, Cardinals righthander Kyle Lohse is seeking his 15th victory today, which would tie his career high set in 2008, his first season with the Cardinals.
"Fifteen's a big number. He's rebounding after some tough physical things (forearm surgery) to have a solid, healthy season," said La Russa, "and he's responded well."
Lohse entered today's game with the lowest earned run average among the starters at 3.47. "He's had a heckuva year," said La Russa.
"I know he feels good about it _ and he should. He's been clutch for us."
This will be Lohse's last start of the season unless there is a playoff game with Atlanta here here Thursday for the National League wild-card berth. "Let's hope he pitches," said La Russa.
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HOLLIDAY IS BACK
Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday is back in today's lineup against the Chicago Cus despite missing more than a week because of a hand injury.
Holliday was available to pinch hit Friday night, and manager Tony La Russa said that he would have had been sent to the plate but the team hit into one of the three double plays and spoiled Holliday's chance. Holliday had been sidelined by a strained tendon in his right palm, an injury that made it difficult to swing a bat.
He has to complete a full workout and batting practice this morning before he'll start this afternoon. When that happens, he just won't be returning to the cleanup spot.
Lance Berkman stays there. Holliday goes to fifth.
Rafael Furcal returns from his one-day break. The Cardinals trail the Atlanta Braves by three games in the wild card race. Any combination of Cardinals' losses or Braves' wins that equals three and the Cardinals will be eliminated from postseason contention. The earliest they can be knocked out is Sunday.
Here is the lineup for this afternoon's game against the Chicago Cubs.
1. Rafael Furcal, SS
2. Jon Jay, CF
3. Albert Pujols, 1B
4. Lance Berkman, RF
5. Matt Holliday, LF
6. David Freese, 3B
7. Yadier Molina, C
8. Skip Schumaker, 2B
9. Kyle Lohse, P
Chicago lineup:
1. Starlin Castro, SS
2 Darwin Barney, 2B
3. Bryan LaHair, RF
4. Carlos Pena, 1B
5. Alfonso Soriano, LF
6. Blake DeWitt, 3B
7. Marlon Byrd, CF
8. Geovany Soto, C
9. Rodrigo Lopez, P
