ST. LOUIS _ Like reclaiming your favorite chair after company finally leaves, the Dodgers slipped back into first place Tuesday night.
Overcoming a three-run first inning against Kenta Maeda, the Dodgers handed the St. Louis Cardinals a 9-4 defeat at Busch Stadium, extending their winning streak to six games.
Coupled with a loss by the Colorado Rockies (their fourth in the past six games), the Dodgers moved into first place in the NL West by a half-game _ their first time atop the division since April 6 and the first time this season they have had sole possession of first place.
The four-time defending division champions got there by winning 11 of their past 13 and going a major-league best 24-9 since April 25.
But the last step was not pretty.
Maeda who stumbled through the first inning, allowing the first four Cardinals batters to reach base and compounding a throwing error by center fielder Chris Taylor by making one of his own. Maeda made another throwing error on a sacrifice bunt in the second inning.
Not a problem _ Cardinals pitchers were off the mark with their throws far more often Tuesday night. The Dodgers drew eight walks in the game, five while scoring seven times in the third and fifth innings to take control of the game.
Starter Michael Wacha was pulled after only three innings, having given up the lead during a four-run third. A sacrifice fly by Adrian Gonzalez, a double by Chase Utley (one of his three hits in the game) and a single by Kike' Hernandez drove in runs but two walks and a throwing error by second baseman Paul DeJong added fuel.
Two innings later, Taylor's one-out single was the only hit in a three-run Dodgers rally. Taylor's hit was followed by a hit batter and three consecutive walks, the last two with the bases loaded.
Maeda was gone by then, pulled after four innings in favor of the Dodgers' dominant bullpen. Six relievers combined to hold the Cardinals in check over the final five innings.
There was a hiccup, however. Chris Hatcher gave up a solo home run to Yadier Molina in the eighth inning, snapping a streak of 242/3 scoreless innings by Dodgers relievers. Still, the bullpen has allowed just that one run and nine hits while striking out 20 in 242/3 innings during the six-game winning streak.
