Cardinals David Freese is tagged out at home plate by Cubs catcher Geovany Soto as he tries to score from first base in the sixth inning. UPI/Bill Greenblatt
Alfonso Soriano singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and Bryan LaHair had three hits, including a two-run homer, his fourth against the Cardinals, who dropped their fourth in a row falling to the visitors 6-4 Monday night at Busch Stadium.
LaHair has nine homers this season and was walked in the eighth as Mitchell Boggs was on the mound to face Soriano who was 0 for 9 with seven strikeouts lifetime against Boggs. The Cubs managed to score after the Cardinals turned a 3-5-4 double play earlier in the inning. Lance Berkman, the first baseman, fielded Starlin Castro’s popped-up bunt and threw to third to force David DeJesus, then David Freese’s relay to first was there in plenty of time to get Castro. Tony Campana was on second, and LaHair was intentionally walked, Soriano’s first hit gave them the lead.
The Cubs jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fifth against starter Jake Westbrook, but the Cardinals rallied with four runs in the bottom of the sixth off Ryan Dempster, still looking for his first win of the season. Yadier Molina’s two-run double and Skip Schumaker’s tying RBI single were the key hits in the Cardinals’ four-run sixth. Schumaker is a career .431 hitter against Dempster.
