ST. LOUIS _ The Cardinals scored six runs in the second inning, rallying from an early deficit to beat the Colorado Rockies 11-4 Sunday at Busch Stadium before a crowd of 45,551 in a game delayed by more than 2{ hours by rain.
It was the Cardinals' fourth consecutive victory over the Rockies. Heading into a three-game series that begins Monday in Milwaukee, St. Louis has won seven of eight and 13 of its last 16.
Dexter Fowler drove in three runs and Matt Carpenter had had three hits, including a homer, and drove in a pair for the Cardinals. Tommy Edman and Paul Goldschmidt each had two-run hits in the Cardinals' six run second inning. Edman finished the game with three hits and Goldschmidt had a pair.
Fowler had a bases-loaded walk in the second and a two-run bloop single in the fifth. Yadier Molina drove in the Cardinals' 10th run.
Lane Thomas hit lead-off homer as a pinch-hitter in the seventh to make it 11-4.
For a second straight start, Michael Wacha pitched well but was unable to go the needed five innings for the win. He was replaced by reliever Ryan Helsley after a homer and a walk with two outs in the fifth inning. Wacha struck out seven in the no-decision.
In his last start, Wacha was replaced by a pinch-hitter in the fourth inning.
It was the first major league victory for Helsley (1-0), who struck out four and allowed two hits and one unearned run over 2 1/3 innings in relief of Wacha.
Colorado got a run-scoring single from Yonder Alonso in the first and solo homers from Garrett Hampson (second inning) and Nolan Arenado (fifth inning). Arenado had three of the Rockies' seven hits.
Promoted from Triple A Albuquerque on Sunday, Antonio Senzatela (8-8) was roughed up in the second inning and took the loss.
Pinch-hitter Lane Thomas led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run down the left-field line, stretching the Cardinals lead to 11-4.
Colorado picked up an unearned run in the top of the seventh, getting a two-out double from Nolan Arenado and then scoring when Harrison Bader misplayed Ryan McMahon's drive to the gap in right-center field.
In the Cardinals' sixth, Paul Goldschmidt led off with a double and scored on a two-out single by Yadier Molina. After six, the home team lead 10-3.
The Cardinals scored two more runs in the fifth on Dexter Fowler's two-out bloop double down the left-field line that pushed the home team's lead to 9-3.
With one out in that inning, Matt Carpenter walked and Harrison Bader followed with a single and a steal of second.
The inning ended when Colorado left fielder Yonathan Daza threw out Fowler trying to score on Tommy Edman's single to left.
Nolan Arenado hit a solo homer in the etop, cutting the Cardinals' lead to 7-3.
Matt Carpenter led off the Cardinals' third with a solo homer, pushing the lead to 7-2.
The Cardinals erupted for six runs in the second, rallying to take control of Sunday's game at Busch 6-2.
Marcell Ozuna led off the inning with a triple down the right-field line and Paul DeJong followed with a walk. After Yadier Molina stayed alive by fouling off several pitches, he hit a one-hopper back to the mound, and Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela threw home to retire Ozuna.
But against the shift, Matt Carpenter followed with a run-scoring single through the shortstop hole to make it 2-1. An out and a Michael Wacha infield hit later, Dexter Fowler's bases-loaded walk tied things up at 2-2.
On the next pitch, Tommy Edman ripped a double into the right-field corner to drive in two and give the home team a 4-2 lead. Paul Goldschmidt followed with a two-run single to right that made it 6-2 in favor of the Redbirds.
Senzatela was lifted after Goldschmidt's hit.
The visiting Rockies took the lead in the top of the first, getting one-out hits from Trevor Story and Nolan Arenado and then getting a run-scoring single up the middle from Yonder Alonso with two outs.
The Cards' Michael Wacha avoided further damage by picking up his second strikeout to end the first inning.
With one out in the Colorado second, Garrett Hampson homered down the left-field line to make it 2-0.
