Late inning hits lift both the Royals and Cardinals as the two get set to square off Thursday night

Mike Moustakas hit two home runs and drove in four. (photo/MLB)

Perhaps when the team’s cross paths this evening at Busch Stadium as the home team wraps up batting practice and the visitors take the field, the Cardinals will thank the Royals for helping them out in their Central Division race with the Pirates.  Once again, the Royals offense came alive in the late innings to beat Pittsburgh 5-1.  The Cardinals offense came to life in a 3-2 come from behind win over the White Sox.

First, the Royals.  On a day they learned they lost one starter for the season and recalled another from Triple-A before he even pitched a game through his demotion, the club got a lift from starter Edinson Volquez.  He went 7.2 innings and allowed just one run on eight hits, while striking out eight.  The bats waited again until late to wake up.

Eric Hosmer tied the game in the fourth with a solo homer and then busted the game open with his blast in the bottom of the seventh.  His three-run homer off Pirates starter Charlie Morton gave the Royals a 5-1 win and increased their lead over Minnesota to 7.5 after the Twins lost again.

Yadier Molina drove in three with his first triple since 2011 (photo/MLB)

Pittsburgh has lost five of six out of the All-Star break after closing to within 3.5 games of the Cardinals.  The lead in the NL Central is now up to six after Yadier Molina’s clutch two-out hit led to a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.  With two outs in the eighth inning and the bases loaded, Molina hit the fourth triple of his career.  It cleared the bases and put the Cardinals on top.  This was one of the more unconventional ways to load the bases.

Randal Grichuk singled off Chicago’s Zach Duke with one out.  Matt Holliday got hit and Duke struck out Jhonny Peralta. With two outs, Jason Heyward reached base on catcher’s interference, setting up Yadi’s heroics off closer David Robertson.  It was Yadi’s first triple since May of 2011 against the Royals.  (VIDEO/MLB)

There are only two teams in baseball with a winning percentage that is over .600.  The Show-Me State is ruling the baseball world this summer.