Matt Carpenter tripled and scored twice and Stephen Piscotty doubled in the winning run Wednesday, leading St. Louis past the Chicago Cubs 4-3 to end the Cardinals' three-game losing streak.
The NL Central leaders scored three times in the eighth inning to avoid their first sweep at home this season and their first against the Cubs since September 2010.
Cubs left-hander Jon Lester left after seven dominant innings. He didn't allow a hit after the third batter and retired 20 of his final 21 hitters.
Carpenter scored after a triple in the first, and his single in the eighth ignited the rally. Piscotty's double off the center-field wall scored Peter Bourjos and Carpenter.
Jonathan Broxton (2-4) got the win and Trevore Rosenthal picked up his 43rd save. Clayton Richard (3-1) took the loss.
Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez needed 99 pitches to get through five innings. The Cubs stranded at least one base runner in each of his innings, but Martinez was able to limit the damage with eight strikeouts.
Chris Coghlan took advantage of Randal Grichuk's compromised throwing arm to score the Cubs' first run on Anthony Rizzo's double. Grichuk, starting for the first time since straining his elbow Aug. 16, had to flip the ball to right-fielder Jason Heyward, who threw it in allowing Coghlan to score from first.
Rizzo appeared to be caught in a run-down following his double, but Martinez failed to cover third, allowing Rizzo to take an extra base. Tommy La Stella followed with a two-out double to give the Cubs an extra run.
Lester's second career single, both against the Cardinals, sparked Chicago's second-inning rally. The Cardinals have given up hits to opposing pitchers in four consecutive games and each have led to runs.
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