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Molina, Cardinals down Royals in extras

May 23, 2011 - 1:05 AM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Yadier Molina finished 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored as St. Louis got by Kansas City, 9-8, in the rubber match of this three-game interleague series.

"A win is a win, no matter how it happens," said Molina. "Whatever it is, we'll take it."

Allen Craig hit a two-run homer, while Matt Holliday and Daniel Descalso knocked in a run each for the Cardinals, who won the set and have taken six of seven overall.

Colby Rasmus walked five times, becoming the first player since Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox did so against Detroit on May 15, 2010. His bases-loaded walk in the 10th forced St. Louis' go-ahead run.

"In a couple of those (at-bats), they didn't give a thing, really," Rasmus said. "A couple of times I battled off some tough pitches. They all threw me some good pitches but I battled them to get the walks."

Jason Motte (2-1) picked up the win with a scoreless ninth, and Fernando Salas allowed an RBI double to Brayan Pena in the 10th but hung on to post his seventh save.

Wilson Betemit hit a two-run homer and drove in three for the Royals, who erased a 7-1 deficit but lost for the seventh time in nine games.

Alex Gordon homered and knocked in two, and Jeff Francoeur added a solo shot and scored twice.

Louis Coleman (0-1) was charged with two runs without retiring a batter in defeat.

Coleman walked Tyler Greene to start the final frame, then Albert Pujols reached on an error and Gerald Laird was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Laird eventually left the game with a broken finger on his right hand.

"There was no getting out of the way," said Laird," Hopefully, it heals up pretty quick."

That brought in Tim Collins, who couldn't stem the tide. After retiring Lance Berkman, he walked Rasmus and Molina in succession to put the visitors up 9-7.

Blake Wood prevented further damage by retiring the next two batters.

Salas served up doubles to Billy Butler and Pena to bring the Royals within 9-8, but he recovered to set down the next two men to end the game.

Descalso's RBI double and a two-run homer from Craig in the third staked the Cards to an early 3-0 lead, but Gordon responded in the home half with a run- scoring double.

Berkman and Rasmus walked with one down in the fourth and both scored on a triple from Molina, who scored on an error from Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer. Holliday's fielder's choice RBI in the fifth then pushed the St. Louis edge to 7-1.

Mike Aviles' fifth-inning RBI hit provided the Royals' second run in the home fifth, and in the sixth Francoeur led off with a homer then Butler doubled and Betemit launched a two-run blast to make it 7-5.

Gordon began the seventh with his fourth homer of the year and Francoeur was hit by a pitch with two down, setting the stage for Betemit's game-tying two- out base hit. On the play, Butler was thrown out at the plate.

St. Louis failed to break the deadlock with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth, as Jon Jay hit into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

Game Notes

The Cardinals have taken eight of the last 12 meetings with the Royals since 2009...Kansas City went 11 games without committing an error, tying a franchise record first set from May 31-June 11, 1999. Hosmer's throwing error in the fourth inning snapped the string...Cards starter Jaime Garcia allowed seven hits and three runs with four strikeouts in five-plus innings, while his KC counterpart Sean O'Sullivan was charged with eight hits and seven runs with four walks over 4 1/3 frames.