ST. LOUIS _ The first of two consecutive day-night doubleheaders couldn't have turned out better for the Cardinals Saturday. They stood to pick up 1 { games on the pursuing Chicago Cubs if everything went their way. And it did.
After a 10-6 win in the afternoon game, pinch hitter Matt Carpenter's single to right center with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth capped a two-run rally that vaulted the Cardinals into a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the nightcap.
Down 2-1, Tommy Edman singled for his third hit and Yadier Molina was nicked by a pitch. Eschewing the bunt, manager Mike Shildt let Harrison Bader hit. Bader, robbed of an extra-base hit by Reds center fielder Nick Senzel in his previous at-bat, singled to left off Raisel Iglesias to score Edman and tie the score.
The Reds went to Kevin Gausman and Carpenter stroked a 2-0 pitch into the outfield to score Molina from second. The Cardinals, who began the day one game ahead of the Cubs, ended it 2 { in front as they won for the eighth time in nine games.
Reliever John Gant, who pitched the ninth, won for the 10th consecutive time this season.
