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Cards nip Rockies in series finale

May 30, 2011 - 12:38 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Jon Jay had a two-run homer and Colby Rasmus ripped a solo shot as the St. Louis Cardinals held on to beat the Colorado Rockies, 4-3, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Kyle Lohse (7-2) went six-plus solid innings, allowing two runs on six hits and six strikeouts for the Cardinals, who have won six of their last eight games. Fernando Salas got his ninth save of the season despite giving up a run in a bumpy ninth.

"I feel like I'm getting that consistency that I want," Lohse said. "I'm just looking to keep it going."

Eric Young Jr. drove in a pair of runs while Ty Wigginton plated the other for the Rockies, who have lost eight times in the last 10 games.

Jhoulys Chacin (5-4) gave up four runs on six hits to record the loss. He struck out seven and walked two in six innings.

Trailing 4-2, Colorado threatened to tie the game or take the lead in the last two innings. The home team left runners on first and second in the eighth, and Ryan Spilborghs drew a leadoff walk in the ninth.

Salas, however, forced Chris Iannetta and pinch-hitterSeth Smith to strike out before Young's single up the middle brought in Spilborghs, making it a one-run game. Dexter Fowler singled Young to third, but Carlos Gonzalez ended the game with a groundout to short and stranded Young, the potential tying run, 90 feet away.

"We had great offensive opportunities," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "We had a real chance in the ninth. We got the guys we wanted up in those situations. But they got us out."

St. Louis jumped on Chacin early on Jay's two-run homer in the first, and later in the inning Yadier Molina singled up the middle to bring home Lance Berkman for a 3-0 lead.

Colorado got a run back in the third. Iannetta doubled and moved to third on Chacin's sacrifice bunt. He then trotted home on Young's sacrifice fly.

The Cards, though, responded with Rasmus' homer in the fourth to push it back to a three-run game.

The Rockies finally got after Lohse in the seventh. Todd Helton led off with a double that hit the base of the center field wall. Wigginton then singled in Helton and moved to second on Spilborghs' single to chase Lohse.

Eduardo Sanchez came in and walked Iannetta to load the bases with no outs, and Jason Giambi came into pinch hit for Matt Reynolds. But Sanchez buckled down and got Giambi to strike out, and Young to line to Tyler Green, who shuffled it to second for the inning-ending double play.

Game Notes

Lohse improved to 2-3 lifetime against the Rockies in eight starts...Cardinals shortstop Ryan Theriot had a hit to extend his hitting streak to 11...Colorado was 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.