St. Louis, MO (Best E Casino) - Ryan Ludwick clubbed a three-run homer and Kyle Lohse posted his career-high 15th win as St. Louis beat the Diamondbacks, 7-4, damaging Arizona's playoff hopes.
Arizona fell 2 1/2 games behind the Dodgers for first place in the NL West. Los Angeles is hosting the San Diego Padres tonight.
Albert Pujols knocked in two runs, while Felipe Lopez went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored for the Cardinals, who snapped a three-game skid and won for just the third time in 13 games.
Lohse (15-6) allowed seven hits and three runs over six innings. Ryan Franklin recorded the final four outs for his 16th save.
Despite the victory, the Cardinals were eliminated from postseason contention when the New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs earlier Tuesday night.
Randy Johnson (10-10) gave up seven hits and five runs in six innings to suffer the loss, extending his winless string to seven outings. The lefty was battered for the second time this month by the Cardinals, also yielding six hits and five runs in 3 2/3 frames on September 1.
Chris Young hit a two-run homer and finished with three RBI for the Diamondbacks, who had their three-game win streak snapped. Miguel Montero also homered in defeat and Conor Jackson tallied three hits, scoring once.
It was a rough start to the game for Johnson, as Cesar Izturis singled to lead off, then stole second. Lopez then legged out an infield hit, and Pujols followed with an RBI single to left. One out later, Ludwick homered to left- center field for the 4-0 margin.
Young followed Justin Upton's double with a homer in the fourth, but the Cardinals got the run back in the fifth on a Lopez RBI double. The hit scored Lohse, who led off with an infield hit.
Montero homered with two outs in the sixth, but RBI singles from Pujols and Troy Glaus moved the lead to 7-3 in the seventh.
Young lofted a sacrifice fly in the eighth, but the Diamondbacks stranded a runner at third when Franklin retired Montero on a ground ball.
Game Notes
St. Louis went 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position...Arizona leads the season series, 3-2...Max Scherzer (0-3) pitches for Arizona on Wednesday, while Adam Wainwright (10-3) heads to the mound for St. Louis in the third part of this four-game set.
