Matt Holliday rounds third in the first inning after his solo homer (photo/MLB)

Matt Holliday rounds third in the first inning after his solo homer (photo/MLB)

With the wind blowing out to right field, Sunday’s rubber game at Wrigley Field could have been a high scoring affair, but Matt Holliday’s line drive homer to left during the third at-bat of the game, produced the only run in the Cardinals 1-0 victory over the Cubs.  St. Louis grabs two out of three in Chicago and remains two games behind Milwaukee.

Holliday’s homer came off rookie starter Kyle Hendricks who match Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright the rest of the way.  Hendricks was pretty good…Wainwright was better, as he went seven innings, allowing five hits and three walks, while striking out three to get to a Major League leading 13 wins.

Sunday’s outing was a great comeback effort for Wainwright who got tagged for six runs in just 4.2 innings against Tampa Bay in his last start.  The Cubs had chances and hit the ball hard, but Wainwright was also backed up by some solid defense.  For Wainwright, it was his tenth start this season with at least seven scoreless innings. Only three pitchers since 1969 have more 11 starts like that in a season.  Former Cardinal John Tudor did it with Dwight Gooden in 1985 and Cliff Lee in 2011.

Kevin Siegrist worked the eighth and Trevor Rosenthal pitched the ninth for his 32nd save in 36 chances.