Cardinals Blow 8th Inning Lead, Lose To Cubs

The Cardinals lost to the Cubs 5-4 and missed a chance to even up the season series with Chicago. St. Louis had a 4-3 lead thanks to a three-run first inning where Scott Rolen, Reggie Sanders and Ray Lankford, who drove in runs. Tony Womack’s RBI single in the seventh inning broke a 3-3 tie and gave the Cardinals a slim 4-3 lead. In the top of the eighth, Jason Marquis served up a leadoff single to Mark Grudzielanek and was pulled after Ramon Martinez moved Grudzielanek to second with a sacrifice fly. Reliever Jason Isringhausen took over for Marquis and forced Moises Alou to ground out for the second out of the inning. Up next was Sammy Sosa who walked and Aramis Ramirez followed up with a two-run double to give the Cubs the lead and eventual win. Isringhausen was charged with the loss and dropped to 3-2. Kyle Farnsworth got the win in relief for the Cubs, who moved to within a game of the Cardinals lead in the National League Central.