Cubs 6, Cardinals 5
ST. LOUIS -- The Chicago Cubs finally found a lead they could hold on to, denying the St. Louis Cardinals their longest winning streak since 2004.
Left-hander Jon Lester allowed just one earned run over seven innings, and first baseman Anthony Rizzo knocked in three runs Wednesday night as Chicago held off St. Louis 6-5 at Busch Stadium.
After coughing up four- and three-run leads in losing the series' first two games, the Cubs (14-12) snapped their four-game losing streak with a 10-hit attack. Third baseman Kris Bryant and right fielder Jorge Soler each rapped out two hits, with Soler's RBI single in the eighth providing Chicago with a 6-4 edge.
Pinch hitter Kolten Wong drew the Cardinals within a run on a run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth, but pinch hitter Jon Jay rolled into a 6-3 double play with the potential go-ahead runs on base.
Lester (2-2) gave up seven hits and four runs, although two errors made three of the runs unearned. He walked two and fanned six. Closer Hector Rondon pitched the ninth for his sixth save, working out of a first-and-third, one-out jam.
Lance Lynn (1-3) allowed eight hits and five runs over six innings with two walks and six strikeouts for St. Louis, which saw its eight-game winning streak end.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon was tossed by plate umpire D.J. Reyburn in the top of the sixth inning for arguing balls and strikes, Maddon's second ejection of the year.
Chicago established a 2-0, first-inning lead on two-out RBI singles by Bryant and shortstop Starlin Castro.
St. Louis (20-7) got a run back in the second when catcher Yadier Molina doubled to right-center, scoring right fielder Jason Heyward.
The Cubs made it 3-1 in the third when Rizzo belted a solo homer over the Cardinals' bullpen in right-center.
Shortstop Jhonny Peralta drew St. Louis within 3-2 with the Cardinals' longest homer of the year, a 447-foot blast over the Chicago bullpen in left-center to lead off the fourth.
Rizzo gave the Cubs a three-run lead in the fifth, turning on a 1-2 fastball from Lynn and rifling it down the right field line for a two-run double that scored second baseman Addison Russell and left fielder Chris Coghlan.
NOTES: Chicago activated RHP Justin Grimm (right forearm inflammation) from the 15-day disabled list and recalled OF Matt Szczur from Triple-A Iowa. Grimm pitched a scoreless inning in a rehab assignment with Iowa on Monday. ... The Cubs optioned OF Junior Lake to Iowa and designated RHP Anthony Varvaro for assignment. Varvaro was claimed off waivers from Boston on Sunday and was added to the Chicago roster for Tuesday night's game but didn't appear. ... St. Louis LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder) will start a rehab stint Sunday at Triple-A Memphis, where he is expected to throw around 80 pitches. Garcia landed on the DL late in spring training.