Matt Holliday’s 24th homer broke a sixth-inning tie and Kyle Lohse pitched five scoreless innings for his eight straight win, to help the Cardinals to a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Holliday led off the sixth inning with a homer to right field off A.J. Burnett that put St. Louis ahead 3-2.
The Cardinals have won six of seven, and moved 2.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who lost 10-0 at Colorado, for the second NL wild-card berth. Pittsburgh fell three games behind the Cardinals with its sixth loss in seven games.
Lohse (14-2) pitched five innings before being lifted following a 34-minute rain delay in the top of the sixth. He allowed two runs and five hits while striking out three and walking none.
