The Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals entered Sunday's series finale tied for the second wildcard spot in the National League. On a day Stephen Fife and Adam Wainwright started, it was the Cardinals who came out on top after 12 innings, 5-2. With the loss, the Dodgers sit one game back of a wild card spot and are 7 1/2 back in the NL West.
Fife pitched well over five innings of work. He surrendered just two runs in the first inning, settling in nicely after that. He struck out nine and scattered four hits and a walk. Fife's ERA is down to 2.49 this season.
Wainwright was equally impressive, with his lone mistake coming on a two-run homer to Ethier in the third inning. He worked six innings on the mound, giving up five hits and two walks. Wainwright struck out four on the afternoon.
The score remained tied after plenty of offense early. Allen Craig doubled in the first inning to plate the first run, and then Matt Holliday came around to score on a wild pitch. Ethier tied the game with his two-run blast in the third, his 19th of the season.
With the score tied 2-2 in the 12th, Jon Jay doubled down the right field line to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead. Craig singled home another run, and then Yadier Molina walked with the bases loaded to make it 5-2. Los Angeles went down in the bottom half of the frame without scoring, with Ethier flying out to left for the final out.
The Dodgers are off on Monday before beginning a big three-game series with the Nationals, who have the best record in baseball.
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