Cardinals 4, Cubs 3
CHICAGO -- Fresh off clinching a playoff berth, the St. Louis Cardinals avoided being swept by the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
Center fielder Tommy Pham and left fielder Stephen Piscotty homered as the Cardinals held off the Cubs 4-3 to snap Chicago's five-game winning streak.
The Cubs pulled to within one when infielder Tommy La Stella drew a bases-loaded walk against reliever Jonathan Broxton in the eighth. Right fielder Jason Heyward then caught shortstop Addison Russell's fly ball and threw out first baseman Anthony Rizzo at the plate to prevent the tying run. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was injured on the play. He left in the ninth due to a left thumb sprain. Trevor Rosenthal took the mound and struck out catcher Miguel Montero to end the Cubs threat.
Second baseman Starlin Castro singled to start the Cubs ninth before he was caught stealing. Rosenthal then got a strikeout and groundout to earn his 46th save.
The Cubs were trying for their first sweep of St. Louis since 2010 and entered the day one game behind the Pittsburgh Pirates for the first wild card.
When the San Francisco Giants lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, the Cardinals qualified for the playoffs for a franchise-record fifth consecutive season.
Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez (14-7) allowed two runs, struck out six and walked three in 6 2/3 innings.
Cubs starter Jon Lester (10-11) gave up four runs in six innings.
The Cardinals scored three runs in the first inning for their first lead of the series. Pham hit a solo shot for his fifth home run.
Heyward singled and was out at second base as shortstop Jhonny Peralta grounded into a fielder's choice. Piscotty hit a two-run shot for his fifth home run of the season. Third baseman Matt Carpenter doubled and scored on Peralta's single in the third for a 4-0 Cardinals lead.
Rizzo's two-run single cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the third. Martinez gestured that he should have received a third-strike call against right fielder Chris Coghlan. He ended up walking Coghlan to bring up Rizzo.
Upon umpire review, Cubs pinch hitter Starlin Castro was awarded first base after a pitch from Martinez grazed his right arm in the seventh. Castro was the seventh hit batter in the tense series. Center fielder Dexter Fowler then singled, but left fielder Kyle Schwarber grounded out against new reliever Kevin Siegrist.
NOTES: St. Louis Cardinals OF Matt Holliday is moving closer to returning to the field, manager Mike Matheny said. Holliday has been in a pinch-hitting role since he was activated from the disabled list on Tuesday for a quadriceps strain. ... Chicago Cubs RHP Pedro Strop was unavailable to pitch Sunday against the Cardinals. The Cubs gave him a "beach day" after he closed out Saturday's 5-4 victory over St. Louis and earned his third save. Manager Joe Maddon said Strop could go to the beach after the game. A toy pool full of sand, a lounge chair and drinks were set in front of Strop's locker on Sunday morning.