CHICAGO (AP) — Wade Davis bent over on the mound with his head resting in his arms. The All-Star closer thought Dexter Fowler’s drive was headed for the iconic scoreboard at Wrigley Field, but Leonys Martin caught the ball on the warning track in center field.

Such is life these days for the rolling Chicago Cubs.

Jason Heyward hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh, Fowler’s bid for another big homer came up just short and the Cubs swept the St. Louis Cardinals with a 4-3 victory on Sunday.

“Just an intense, intense baseball game,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.

Ben Zobrist drove in two runs and Kyle Schwarber hit his 27th homer as the NL Central-leading Cubs closed out a 6-3 homestand with their sixth consecutive victory. They stayed four games ahead of Milwaukee and increased their advantage over third-place St. Louis to six games.

Pedro Strop (5-4) worked a rocky seventh for the win and Davis got his 31st save in 31 chances. The right-hander also saved Saturday’s 4-1 win.

“It seems like we’re competing at a pretty good level,” Davis said.

Chicago led 3-0 before Fowler hit a tying three-run homer off Jose Quintana with two out in the sixth, silencing the crowd of 37,242 on a warm, sunny day. The inning began with a double for Matt Carpenter that eluded a lunging Schwarber in left.

Fowler got one last chance to hurt his former team in the ninth. With a runner on first and two out, he put a good swing on a full-count pitch from Davis, but Martin tracked it down.

“I definitely sat back in my seat when I heard it get hit,” Schwarber said. “But then we took a look at the wind and saw it was blowing in and we were able to make the catch there.”

St. Louis went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base in its fourth loss in five games, damaging its chances of making the playoffs. Lance Lynn lasted just four innings, allowing five hits and three runs.

“We got beat this series. They beat us,” Lynn said. “We didn’t give away games, we got beat. So we’ve got to win the next one and the next and the next one and the next one and hope that these guys don’t do that and the wild-card teams don’t do that.”

The Cubs’ winning rally began when Anthony Rizzo was grazed on his sleeve by a pitch from Tyler Lyons (4-1). The play was originally ruled a ball, but then was overturned by a replay review.

Rizzo advanced to second on Javier Baez’s pinch-hit single and took third when Ian Happ beat out a potential double-play grounder. Heyward then hit a two-out liner into left field against Matt Bowman, making it 4-3.

“You take any win you can get, but today was great to find a way to get it done with a close game,” Heyward said.

St. Louis put runners on second and third with two out in the sixth, but Carl Edwards Jr. struck out Randal Grichuk to end the inning. Brian Duensing fanned Carpenter with the bases loaded for the final out of the eighth, punctuating the big pitch with an emphatic fist pump.

SITTING OUT

Chicago played without catcher Willson Contreras, who served a one-game suspension for his confrontation with umpire Jordan Baker in the fifth inning of Friday’s 8-2 win in the series opener. Contreras was originally suspended for two games, but the punishment was reduced after he appealed.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (right elbow impingement) faced hitters before the game and said he was ready to come off the disabled list. Manager Mike Matheny liked what he saw but wasn’t ready to commit to a timetable for Wainwright’s return. “We haven’t really talked about that yet,” Matheny said. Wainwright, who was placed on the DL on Aug. 18, said he probably will pitch out of the bullpen initially when he returns. … 2B Kolten Wong returned to the lineup after being sidelined by back spasms. Wong left in the seventh inning of Friday’s 8-2 loss to the Cubs and rested on Saturday.

Cubs: There was no word on the next step for RHP Jake Arrieta (right hamstring strain), who threw 42 pitches in a bullpen session on Saturday. But he has been ruled out for Chicago’s two games at Tampa Bay this week.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Following an off day, RHP Jack Flaherty (0-1, 6.08 ERA) makes his fourth major league start Tuesday night at Cincinnati. RHP Jackson Stephens (2-0, 2.38 ERA) pitches for the last-place Reds in the opener of a three-game series.

Cubs: Maddon returns to Tampa Bay when the Cubs begin a two-game set against the Rays on Tuesday night. Maddon managed Tampa Bay for nine years before he left after the 2014 season. “I’m really honestly looking forward to it,” he said. “There’s so many friends in that building.”

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — John Lackey screamed at the plate umpire. Willson Contreras slammed his catcher’s mask.

The rest of the Chicago Cubs kept their cool.

Kris Bryant had three hits, including his 27th homer, and Chicago overcame the ejections of Lackey and Contreras on the way to an 8-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

Bryant went deep in the fourth and singled twice in Chicago’s seven-run sixth, helping the NL Central leaders open a big weekend series on a winning note.

The Cubs stayed three games ahead of Milwaukee and increased their advantage over St. Louis to four games. The Brewers rolled to a 10-2 victory over Miami on Friday night.

Lackey and Contreras were thrown out with Chicago trailing 2-1 in the fifth. But after outscoring the New York Mets 39-14 in a three-game sweep, the defending World Series champions got enough big hits to improve to 9-4 against the Cardinals this year.

“It takes a special group to do that,” outfielder Jason Heyward said. “You’ve got to have experience to be able to deal with that kind of moment.”

The Cardinals had runners on first and second with two out in the fifth when the short-tempered Lackey screamed at plate umpire Jordan Baker after he called a ball on a 2-2 pitch to Martinez near the knees and outside corner.

Martinez said through an interpreter that he also thought it was strike three. Instead, he lined the next pitch for an RBI single, giving St. Louis a 2-1 lead, and the 38-year-old Lackey yelled at the umpire again as he ran toward the plate.

Contreras also got into it with Baker. He slammed his mask, which bounced up and grazed the umpire, and he had to be restrained by manager Joe Maddon.

Lackey said Baker missed a pitch and threw him out “half-heartedly because he knew he messed up.”

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny was disappointed his team didn’t add to the lead in the fifth. Justin Wilson struck out Matt Carpenter with two on to end the rally.

“Love to see us be able to add on a little bit more right there,” Matheny said. “Looking for that big hit once again and opportunities to go after their bullpen and try to add to a small lead. But we always know these games can go one way or the other hurry in this place.”

Lackey, meanwhile, expressed no regrets about getting ejected.

“It’s a pretty big spot right there,” he said. “It cost me a big league win. Those don’t grow on trees.”

Don’t expect the 38-year-old Lackey to change to change his ornery ways. Maddon doesn’t.

“Why would I even think that? That’s the definition of insanity,” he said. “Why would I think he’s going to change in that particular moment? So God bless him.”

A contrite Contreras, meanwhile, insisted he wasn’t trying to hit Baker.

“I apologize to everybody,” he said. “To the fans. To MLB. To the umpire. … Other than that, I’m just happy that the team was able to come back and win the game.”

Tommy Pham homered for St. Louis . But the Cubs chased Carlos Martinez in the sixth, sending 11 batters to the plate and grabbing an 8-2 lead.

Bryant led off with a single and scored. He also drove in the final run with a single , making it 8-2.

PITCHING LINES

Lackey gave up three hits in 4 2/3 innings. Carl Edwards Jr. (4-4) pitched a perfect sixth for the win.

Martinez gave up seven runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 2B Kolten Wong departed with tightness in his lower back. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh. … CF Dexter Fowler (bruised knee) remained sidelined. … RHP Adam Wainwright (right elbow) is expected to throw a bullpen session Saturday.

Cubs: SS Addison Russell hopes to return this weekend after being sidelined since Aug. 2 because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Russell is scheduled to work out Saturday. … RHP Jake Arrieta (strained right hamstring) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session.

UP NEXT

The Cubs send RHP Kyle Hendricks (6-5, 3.35 ERA) to the mound while the Cardinals go with RHP Michael Wacha (12-7, 3.99 ERA).

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Luke Weaver and Tommy Pham were teammates with Triple-A Memphis to open the 2017 season. Now they’re helping the St. Louis Cardinals make a push toward the playoffs.

Weaver threw six innings of two-hit ball, Pham drove in two runs and stole two bases, and the Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 on Thursday.

“I felt great,” Weaver said. “It’s a close race we’re in and we just needed the big win, and I’m just happy to contribute.”

The Cardinals, who are chasing the first-place Cubs in the NL Central and the Rockies in the wild-card standings, have won five of their last six and nine of 12.

Weaver (6-1), a rookie right-hander, allowed one unearned run, struck out six and didn’t walk a batter.

“Outstanding job from Luke,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “He’s done a real nice job of taking advantage of the opportunity.”

Weaver was 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in four appearances, including three starts, in June. He’s now 3-0 with a 0.99 ERA in three starts this month.

“That guy, that bulldog, that everything he was in Memphis is exactly what he is up here and what he’s going to be moving forward,” Cardinals outfielder Harrison Bader said. “He’s found himself and he’s just rolling with it and it’s really fun to watch.”

Rookie left-hander Amir Garrett (3-8) was charged with four runs in four innings. He struck out seven and walked five.

“The walks hurt a bit today,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “I thought after the first hitter of the game, (Matt) Carpenter, it looked like he got on a nice roll. It ended up being a catalyst to their scoring was three of the walks that came ahead of a two-run single and home run.”

The Reds took a 1-0 lead in the second when Scott Schebler hit a double and scored with two outs when shortstop Paul DeJong mishandled Phillip Ervin’s grounder.

Garrett struck out four consecutive batters before running into trouble with back-to-back, full-count walks with two outs in the third.

After a stolen base by Pham and a double steal by Pham and DeJong, Jose Martinez came through with a full-count, two-run single to left to put St. Louis ahead.

“We needed somebody to put that shot in the arm for us and to give us that big hit,” Matheny said.

Pham hit a two-run homer in the fifth, his 20th of the season. With 21 stolen bases, he became the first Cardinals player to record a 20/20 season since Reggie Sanders in 2004.

“With everything I’ve gone through this year, to go out and have a 20/20 season is a proud moment, Pham said.

The Cardinals cut down Joey Votto at home plate to end the Reds’ seventh. Following Adam Duvall’s double off the left field wall, DeJong took a relay toss from Harrison Bader and threw home to Yadier Molina, preserving the Cardinals’ three-run lead.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (right elbow) threw a bullpen session before Thursday’s game.

Reds: 2B Scooter Gennett, who left Tuesday’s game with left hand inflammation, was not in the lineup for the second straight day and is considered day to day.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Homer Bailey (4-8, 7.26) starts off a three-game home series against the Pirates and RHP Chad Kuhl (7-10, 4.21). Bailey is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in two September starts.

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (11-10, 3.33) opens a three-game series against the Cubs in Chicago opposite RHP John Lackey (11-11, 4.65). Martinez is 1-1 with a 3.19 ERA in four career starts at Wrigley Field.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rookie Tyler Mahle threw five innings, Eugenio Suarez hit a grand slam and the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0 on Wednesday night.

Jesse Winker added a home run and Joey Votto had two hits and drove in a run for the Reds, who had lost four of their last five games.

Mahle (1-2) tossed allowed four hits, striking out four and walking three in earning his first major league win. The right-hander, who was making his fourth career start, threw 100 pitches and was able to strand eight runners.

Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty (0-1), also a rookie right-hander, allowed three runs and four hits over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked two.

Winker, the Reds rookie right fielder, opened the game with his fifth homer of the season. Winker ended the first inning with a diving catch that saved a run.

The Reds scored five runs in the fifth, all coming with two outs, and all coming after the third out of the inning was overturned upon replay review.

Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong made a diving stop to snare a grounder from Zack Cozart. He flipped to second base for the third out, but replays showed Mahle beat the toss to the base.

Votto then smacked a bases-loaded single to left field off left-handed reliever Ryan Sherriff to make it 2-0. Suarez followed with a grand slam, his 25th homer of the season, into the Reds bullpen in left field to make it 6-0.

The Reds bullpen backed Mahle’s start with four innings from Kevin Shackelford, Michael Lorenzen and Luke Farrell. The Cardinals managed just one hit over the final five innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 3B Jedd Gyorko (right hamstring strain) was activated from the disabled list.

Reds: RHP Drew Storen (right elbow sprain) was placed on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to Sept. 10. . 2B Scooter Gennett, who left Tuesday’s game due to left hand inflammation, was not in the lineup on Wednesday but the injury isn’t considered serious. . RHP Anthony DeSclafani (right elbow), who hasn’t pitched in a game this season, threw two innings of a simulated game on Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Reds: LHP Amir Garrett (3-7, 7.39) allowed four runs and five hits in five innings in his last start, Sept. 8 at the New York Mets.

Cardinals: RHP Luke Weaver (5-1, 2.16) has won his last four starts and his 1.42 ERA over that span is tied for third in the National League.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul DeJong homered, Yadier Molina drove in three runs and the streaking St. Louis Cardinals outslugged the Cincinnati Reds 13-4 on Tuesday night.

The Cardinals have won four straight and six of their last seven to stay two games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.

Molina’s two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the first gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. He drove in his 10th run over his past three games with a single in the sixth. Molina leads the team with 75 RBI.

Matt Carpenter walked a career-best four times, doubled in a run and scored twice.

Lance Lynn (11-7) allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits in five innings.

Robert Stephenson (4-5) was pulled after three innings, the shortest career outing for the Reds rookie. He allowed six runs, four earned, and all three of his walks scored.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yadier Molina’s teammates could tell their All-Star catcher was not happy.

After taking a fastball from Ivan Nova high and tight, Molina hit the next pitch for a three-run homer to help the St. Louis Cardinal beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-0 on Sunday.

“Everyone knows don’t mess with Yadi,” St. Louis infielder Kolten Wong said. “After that, you could tell he’s (ticked) off. He took it out on the baseball.”

St. Louis, which has won three in a row and seven of eight, moved two games behind Chicago in the NL Central. The Cardinals are 2 1/2 behind Colorado for the second NL wild card.

Michael Wacha tossed eight scoreless innings and Randal Grichuk added a solo homer for St. Louis, which improved to 8-2 in September and moved to a season-high seven games over .500.

Molina tied a career-high with five RBI. He also drove in five runs on Sept. 17, 2010 against San Diego.

Pittsburgh dropped its fifth in a row and slumped to 10 games under .500 for the first time since the end of the 2011 season.

Molina, who left without speaking to reporters, pushed the lead to 4-0 with his drive in the fourth inning. After dodging the errant pitch, he calmly stepped back into the batter’s box and ripped his second round-tripper in as many games.

“I feel like he took offense to that,” Wacha said of the inside pitch. “It was great to see.”

Nova said he meant no harm.

“I’m not that type of pitcher,” Nova said. “Just pitching (my) game.”

Molina had an RBI single in the first and a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

“Big day, great at-bats all day,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “Talk about big hits, he did a great job.”

Wacha (12-7) allowed five hits while striking out seven and did not walk a batter in getting his third win in three starts.

“It’s that time of the year where you’re trying to make the playoffs,” Wacha said. “And every game matters. When it gets down to it, you compete your tail off and try and get the win.”

The Cardinals’ two-game deficit in the NL Central is the closest they’ve been since Aug. 18 when they were 1 1/2 back.

Nova gave up five runs and five in hits five innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

The Pirates were shut out for the eighth time this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Pirates: INF Josh Harrison has been transferred to the 60-day disabled list with a fractured left hand.

Cardinals: OF Dexter Fowler was held out of the lineup Sunday with a left knee contusion after crashing into the wall on Saturday. St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said there was, “significant swelling,” and was uncertain on his return. … OF Tommy Pham is still having vision problems and was held out of the lineup Sunday. He suffers from keratoconus and the problem is heightened during day games.

UP NEXT

Pirates: LHP Steven Brault (0-0, 5.79) will open a three-game series at Milwaukee on Monday. He will be opposed by RHP Brandon Woodruff (1-1, 1.52). Brault is making his second start. He was named the Most Valuable Pitcher in the International League after posting a 10-5 mark with a 1.94 ERA for Triple-A Indianapolis.

Cardinals: RHP Lance Lynn (10-7, 2.94) will start on Tuesday in the first of a three-game series against Cincinnati. He will face RHP Robert Stephenson (4-4, 5.15). Lynn has allowed one earned run in his last 14 innings.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — If the St. Louis Cardinals are going to make the playoffs, rookie starter Luke Weaver will be a big reason why.

Weaver pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and also drove in a run Friday night, helping the Cardinals improve their postseason hopes with a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“It’s just real fun to watch him take advantage of an opportunity like this this time of season,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.

The Cardinals have won seven of nine, pulling within four games of the NL Central-leading Cubs. St. Louis is even closer in the chase for the second wild-card spot.

The Pirates have lost three in a row.

Weaver (5-1) has won five straight decisions and his last four starts, not allowing more than two runs in any of them. He gave up seven hits, walked none and struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings.

“I thought it was good,” Weaver said. “I was getting a little more movement on the fastball than usual, so the ball was kind of leaking out over the plate a little bit. Gave up a few hits on just fastballs that weren’t commanded very well but just rebounded well. Got some groundballs, some double plays and that was big and just tried to manage it the best I could.”

Weaver drove in the Cardinals’ first run with a broken-bat groundout and scored a run.

Juan Nicasio made his St. Louis debut and got four outs for his third save. The Cardinals got him from Philadelphia for a minor leaguer earlier in the week.

Nicasio pitched most of the season with Pittsburgh before being plucked off waivers by the Phillies in late August. He spent just six days with the Phillies, appearing in two games.

“I’m really happy to be part of this organization,” Nicasio said through a translator. “Even more to be part of this postseason run.”

Trevor Williams (6-8) allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings.

The Cardinals returned home in the early-morning hours after going 7-3 on a road trip that finished in San Diego. The Pirates began a nine-game swing after going 4-3 at home to start September.

Williams gave up runs in the third and fourth, and a two-run single in the fifth to Jose Martinez.

“The pitch to Martinez is the one that hurt,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “Two strikes, elevated fastball. (Williams) wasn’t able to make pitches later on in some situations he got himself into. The fifth inning hurt.”

Pinch-hitter Adam Frazier singled in the seventh for Pittsburgh’s run.

TAKING A BREAK

Cardinals rookie INF Paul DeJong didn’t start for the first time since July 6. He was coming off an 8-for-42 (.190) road trip. DeJong is hitting .284 with 21 home runs and 55 RBI.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 2B Kolten Wong (sore back) is expected to be back in the lineup Saturday night. Manager Mike Matheny said he thought Wong would be available to pinch hit. … 3B Matt Carpenter (right shoulder strain) returned to the lineup and hit leadoff.

Pirates: OF Gregory Polanco and Frazier were both reinstated from the disabled list for Friday’s game. Polanco batted third and played right field.

UP NEXT Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (11-10, 3.34) faces the Pirates on Saturday. He is 5-5 with a 3.53 ERA in 11 career starts vs. Pittsburgh. Martinez established a new single-season high with 192 strikeouts in his previous start.

Pirates: RHP Chad Kuhl (7-10, 4.32) will make his fourth start of the season vs. St. Louis. Kuhl is 1-1 with a 3.94 ERA against the Cardinals. Kuhl has allowed more than two earned runs just four times in his last 18 starts.

— Associated Press —

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Dexter Fowler struck out against Brad Hand with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, capping the San Diego Padres’ 3-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night.

Hand allowed singles by Stephen Piscotty, Randal Grichuk and Carson Kelly to load the bases in the ninth inning before getting Fowler to whiff on a slider in the dirt. Hand got his 16th save.

Jose Pirela had a run-scoring infield single in the first inning, and that was all the cushion Clayton Richard (7-13) and relievers Craig Stammen, Kirby Yates and Hand needed. Richard got 11 groundball outs while allowing five hits and striking out five in six innings.

Wil Myers added his 25th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the seventh.

After Stammen struck out two in the seventh, Greg Garcia and pinch-hitter Breyvic Valera singled, with Valera’s being his first in the majors. Manuel Margot then made a running catch on pinch-hitter Tommy Pham’s sinking line drive in center.

Lance Lynn (10-7) tiptoed around trouble in the first, allowing a run on three infield hits, an error by Alex Mejia and a walk. Pirela’s slow roller to third scored Margot after he opened the inning with a hit.

Lynn lasted through the sixth, giving up six hits and three walks, with three strikeouts on 118 pitches.

It was the second straight start the Cardinals failed to support Lynn. He pitched eight scoreless innings for the first time in three years but didn’t prevail against the San Francisco Giants last week.

The Cardinals got a rare runner in scoring position when Paul DeJong doubled in the first. He didn’t advance, though, and Richard induced double plays in the second and fourth innings. That gave Richard 27 groundball double plays, tying teammate Luis Perdomo for the most in the NL.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 2B Kolten Wong (sore back) is expected to return this weekend. … 3B Matt Carpenter (right shoulder strain) should be back in the lineup Friday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Luke Weaver (4-1, 2.50) faces the Pirates as St. Louis kicks off a six-game homestand. Weaver is one of five rookies to have double-digit strikeout games this season. His 90 strikeouts through his first 17 career games are the most ever by a Cardinal.

Padres: RHP Jordan Lyles (0-2, 6.71) is making his second start of the season and his first on the road. He tossed a season-high 4 1/3 innings in his Padres debut last week, getting a no-decision after allowing two runs on six hits to the Dodgers.

— Associated Press —

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Carlos Martinez was having no problem hitting 98 and 99 mph with his fastball in the eighth and ninth innings.

It was a message, all right.

“I think he was trying to show us he was still OK,” manager Mike Matheny said after Martinez threw a three-hitter and struck out 10 to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-0 victory Monday over the San Diego Padres.

“He did it in the eighth, too. That was for me, I think, just to show me he wasn’t tired,” Matheny said. “Believe me, I was cheering him on. I always am. It was set up for Carlos. He did a great job finishing it.”

The right-hander was remarkably efficient, allowing only three singles and three walks while throwing 109 pitches. The Padres didn’t get a runner into scoring position the whole game and never had two runners on in any inning.

Catcher Yadier Molina fielded Cory Spangenberg’s soft grounder and threw him out to end the game, and then wrapped Martinez in a big hug. Molina hit a two-run, bases-loaded single in the fourth.

Martinez smiled when asked about still throwing hard in the final innings.

“In the eighth inning he asked if I was tired and I said, `No, I’m going to finish my game,’ `’ he said through a translator. “That was my way of showing I’m not tired.’ `’

It was the second career shutout and complete game for Martinez (11-10). He got his first of each on June 10 when he threw a four-hitter and struck out 11 in a 7-0 victory against Philadelphia. He also pitched nine scoreless innings against San Francisco on May 20 in a game the Cardinals lost 3-1 in the 13th.

Martinez earned a big hug from Molina after the catcher threw out Cory Spangenberg to end the game.

Martinez said he’s motivated by going deep into games.

“Complete games, or games where I’m really effective, I need that mentally to use that for my benefit,” he said. “It shows me what I’m capable of and what kind of season I want to have and what I aspire to do.”

The Cardinals remained three games behind Colorado in the race for the NL’s second wild card.

“We just couldn’t get anything going against Carlos Martinez today,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “I thought he was really, really good. His slider was really good. Stuff was coming out great. Probably just not enough battle at-bats against him.”

Luis Perdomo (7-9) pitched well except for the fourth, when the first four Cardinals reached base. Tommy Pham singled, Paul DeJong walked and Jose Martinez singled to load the bases. Molina hit a fly ball to left-center field that bounced off the glove of left fielder Jose Pirela after a long run.

Green said it was a tough play.

“It’s a play I think he thinks he should make,” the manager said. “It wasn’t by any means an easy catch. He ran a really long way. He kind of opened that gap with Yadi. He kind of hit it right in the perfect spot.”

Perdomo allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings, struck out six and walked three.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 3B Matt Carpenter left in the fifth inning with right shoulder tendinitis. Matheny said it’s been a lingering problem. … Pham left in the seventh with a sore right shoulder. He was hurt sliding headfirst while stealing second in the fourth inning. He was checked by a trainer and stayed in the game in left field.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (10-7, 4.20) is scheduled to start Tuesday night’s game. He’s 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA in three starts against San Diego.

Padres: LHP Travis Wood (3-4, 5.47) is 6-6 with a 5.37 ERA in 31 career games, including 18 starts, against St. Louis.

— Associated Press —

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Even with star players resting or nursing minor injuries and manager Mike Matheny’s mixing and matching, the St. Louis Cardinals keep slugging and are never content with a late lead.

And they’re right in playoff contention at the start of September.

Harrison Bader hit a tiebreaking homer in the decisive sixth inning after Madison Bumgarner homered in the bottom of the fifth, and the Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants 7-3 on Sunday to gain ground again in the wild-card race.

“It’s big, especially against Madison,” Jose Martinez said. “We went out there trying to do our job and get good at-bats from the first inning. It worked for us, he made a couple mistakes and we took advantage of those.”

Paul DeJong hit a solo homer in the fourth for the first St. Louis hit and Martinez followed with a drive to nearly the same spot over the left-field fence. It was the seventh time the Cardinals hit consecutive homers this year.

Luke Weaver (4-1) struck out nine over seven innings to just miss a third straight start with double-digit Ks, helping St. Louis move within three games of Colorado in the race for the NL’s second wild card.

Bumgarner (3-7) hit a solo drive in the fifth for his third homer of the year. It was his first time clearing the fences since he went deep twice on opening day April 2 at Arizona. He missed nearly three months following an April 20 dirt bike accident.

Martinez and Yadier Molina added consecutive RBI doubles in the decisive sixth, and Martinez hit another run-scoring double in the seventh and Bader singled home a run.

Bumgarner retired his first 11 batters before DeJong’s 21st homer. The 2014 World Series MVP, who was scratched Thursday night with the flu, allowed five runs and five hits in six innings.

“I didn’t give us a chance to win today, I let that game to get away from me,” said Bumgarner, who matched his career high with three homers surrendered. “I can’t let that happen.”

Center fielder Gorkys Hernandez made a sensational play in Bumgarner’s six-pitch first inning, leaping high over the wall in left-center to snag Tommy Pham’s deep fly for the second out.

“That’s one of the best catches we’ve seen all year,” Matheny said.

Bumgarner became the first pitcher to hit at least three homers in four straight seasons since Earl Wilson accomplished the feat in five consecutive years from 1964-68, according to STATS, LLC.

The Giants dropped their first series at home in the last seven, having won or split six in a row.

MATHENY ON CONCUSSIONS

Matheny, who finished his 13-year big league catching career with the Giants in 2006, appreciates the greater awareness and care when it comes to concussions.

He said medical personnel he worked with estimate his total at 25 to 30 documented concussions — and he figures it’s higher given how many he had in the minors while taking foul tips and being run over blocking the plate.

“I think one season I got flattened seven times,” the 46-year-old Matheny recalled. “That was just the way we were taught the game is you lay in front of the plate. … I had one player in particular got me three times, a college football player.”

Matheny isn’t sure he would have had the same career or even reached the majors if he didn’t play that way.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: CF Dexter Fowler was held out after his hip tightened up after he slammed into a base hard Saturday. He was set to be re-evaluated Monday. … 1B Matt Carpenter sat out his second straight game in a planned break for rest. “We’re trying to get him right, we’re going to need him right,” Matheny said. … LF Pham returned after missing two games with a bruised thumb he hurt sliding into second Thursday night.

Giants: As the time passes that 1B Brandon Belt continues to deal with a concussion and if it becomes another couple of weeks, manager Bruce Bochy said it could “be doubtful he’d play this year.” … With LF Jarrett Parker out injured, the Giants brought Mac Williamson a bit sooner than planned to be the primary left fielder in the coming week. The Giants hope Parker’s mild left side strain will heal in time for him to return during next weekend’s series against the White Sox in Chicago.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez (10-10, 3.52 ERA) is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in seven outings and four career starts against San Diego, where he will pitch Monday.

Giants: RHP Chris Stratton (2-3, 3.82 ERA) is scheduled to make his sixth major league start Monday at Colorado. He took the loss in an 11-0 defeat Aug. 27 at Arizona despite 10 strikeouts and two earned runs allowed over six innings.

— Associated Press —