Cardinals 9, Rockies 8
ST. LOUIS -- On the verge of a third straight home loss, the St. Louis Cardinals rallied for a dramatic win to increase their lead in the National League Central.
Third baseman Greg Garcia's bases-loaded walk with one out in the bottom of the ninth capped a three-run outburst that gave St. Louis a 9-8 win Thursday night over the Colorado Rockies at Busch Stadium.
First baseman Matt Carpenter started the rally with his fourth hit, a ground-rule double to right-center. Rockies closer John Axford (3-5) entered, but walked center fielder Randal Grichuk and allowed a single to second baseman Kolten Wong, filling the bases.
Shortstop Jhonny Peralta laced a two-run single to center to even the score at 8. After an intentional walk to right fielder Jason Heyward, catcher Yadier Molina flied out, but Garcia watched a 3-1 pitch sail high to seal the verdict.
Carlos Villanueva (4-3) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the victory as St. Louis (65-37) moved 5 1/2 games ahead of Pittsburgh, a 15-5 loser in Cincinnati, in the division.
Neither starter was involved in the decision after getting shelled in five-inning stints. The Rockies' Chris Rusin gave up 10 hits and six runs with no walks and five strikeouts, while St. Louis' Carlos Martinez yielded 10 hits and five runs with no walks and six whiffs.
Colorado (43-57) took an 8-6 lead in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Jose Reyes and a throwing error by reliever Kevin Siegrist, his second of the inning.
Catcher Nick Hundley homered in the sixth to tie it for the Rockies, which finished with 16 hits.
Colorado opened the scoring in the top of the first as third baseman Nolan Arenado ripped a two-out RBI double to left, plating shortstop Jose Reyes.
St. Louis equalized in its half of the inning on a groundout by second baseman Kolten Wong that scored third baseman Matt Carpenter, who led off with a single and moved to third on a double by center fielder Randal Grichuk.
Carpenter belted a three-run homer with two outs in the second, his 11th home run of the year, for a 4-1 Cardinals lead. But the Rockies rallied to tie it in the fourth on a two-out RBI double by catcher Nick Hundley followed by a shocking two-run homer from pitcher Chris Rusin.
Colorado took a brief 5-4 lead in its half of the fifth on a run-scoring single from left fielder Corey Dickerson. But Carpenter knotted the game in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer, the first time in his career he has blasted two homers in a game.
St. Louis regained the lead later in the fifth on a two-out RBI triple by Heyward.
NOTES: New acquisition Brandon Moss was in uniform for St. Louis on Thursday night but didn't start. The outfielder came over in a trade with Cleveland for minor league LHP Rob Kaminsky, a first-round pick by the Cardinals in 2013. ... Colorado 2B DJ LeMahieu saw his career-high 18-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday at the Chicago Cubs. ... The Cardinals placed LF Matt Holliday (right quad strain) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled INF Greg Garcia from Triple-A Memphis. They also designated 1B Dan Johnson for assignment.