Felipe Lopez’s 11th inning solo home run proved to be the difference on Sunday evening, as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 from Wrigley Field to avoid a 3-game sweep.

St. Louis got an early rally started in the 1st as Ryan Ludwick reached safely on a 1-out infield single against Chicago starter Ryan Dempster.

Albert Pujols then drew a walk, which put runners on 1st & 2nd for Matt Holliday.

Holliday reached safely on an errant throw by Ryan Theriot at 2nd base, as it sailed right in front of the Cardinals’ visiting dugout.

That play was unable to score Ludwick from 3rd base, as Jon Jay tried to drive him home.

He never got the chance to, as Matt Holliday appeared to be caught in a pickoff play between 1st & 2nd base. Starlin Castro alertly threw to Geovany Soto at home plate in time to nail Ludwick, which ended the inning.

The Cardinals then added a pair of runs in the 2nd after Jon Jay hit a lead-off triple against Dempster.

Skip Schumaker hit an RBI single to center, which scored Jay from 3rd base & gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead.

After Yadier Molina struck out, Chris Carpenter laid down a sac bunt to advance Schumaker into scoring position with 2 outs for Brendan Ryan.

Ryan also hit an RBI single to center, as Schumacker scored from 2nd & made it a 2-0 game.

Ryan then stole 2nd base during Felipe Lopez’s at-bat, who drew a walk.

With runners on 1st & 2nd, Ryan Ludwick struck out swinging to end the inning.

The Cubs had their first scoring chance of the game in the 3rd, as Ryan Theriot hit a lead-off single past a diving Brendan Ryan at 2nd base & into right center off Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter.

Ryan Dempster then laid down his 12th sacrifice bunt of the season, as it advanced Theriot to 2nd base with 1 out for Tyler Colvin.

Colvin struck out swinging, which left it up to Starlin Castro.

Castro flied out to Ryan Ludwick in right field to end the inning.

Chicago crept closer in the 4th after Derrek Lee hit a lead-off double past a diving Felipe Lopez at 3rd base & into left field off Carpenter.

Ramirez grounded out to Lopez, as Lee was unable to advance on the play.

That brought up Marlon Byrd, who lined an RBI single to left center, which scored Lee from 2nd & made it a 2-1 game.

The Cubs then rallied to take the lead in the 5th, as Geovany Soto drew a lead-off walk from Carpenter.

After a brief exchange with home plate umpire Bob Davidson, Carpenter gave up an RBI triple to Ryan Theriot that got past a diving Jon Jay in right center, as it scored Soto from 1st & tied the game 2-2.

Ryan Dempster then tried to reach safely on a bunt single, but was thrown out by Felipe Lopez at 3rd base.

Tyler Colvin struck out looking, which left it up to Starlin Castro.

Castro then lined a soft RBI single to left, which scored Theriot from 3rd & gave themselves a 3-2 lead.

St. Louis immediately rallied to tie it in the 6th, as Albert Pujols’ first hit of the weekend wound up being a lead-off homer (23rd of season) to tie it 3-3.

Skip Schumaker kept the inning alive, as he hit a 2-out double off Dempster to present an RBI chance for Yadier Molina.

Molina was intentionally walked, which put runners on 1st & 2nd for Chris Carpenter.

Carpenter lined an apparent RBI single to centerfield, but Marlon Byrd’s great throw to home plate nailed Schumaker & ended the inning.

Chicago then rallied again to re-take the lead in the 6th after Byrd hit a 1-out single off Carpenter.

Alfonso Soriano laced an opposite-field bloop single in front of Ryan Ludwick in right field, as it put runners on 1st & 3rd for Geovany Soto.

Soto then wrapped into a doubleplay to end the scoring chance.

The Cardinals tried to rally in the 8th after Skip Schumaker & Yadier Molina hit back-to-back 2-out singles off Cubs reliever Sean Marshall.

Aaron Miles then made a pinch-hit appearence & grounded out to Starlin Castro at shortstop to end the inning.

The Cubs had a potential game-winning rally going in the 9th, as Alfonso Soriano hit a 1-out single off Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin & later took 2nd base on a wild pitch during Ryan Theriot’s at-bat.

Theriot wound up grounding out to Albert Pujols at 1st base to end the scoring threat.

St. Louis then put together their biggest threat in the 10th, as Matt Holliday & John Jay greeted Chicago reliever Brian Schlitter with back-to-back 1-out singles.

Skip Schumaker also singled in front of Marlon Byrd in centerfield, but Holliday chose not to score from 2nd base on the play.

That wound up costing him dearly, as Yadier Molina wound up wrapping into a doubleplay to end the inning.

Chicago again rallied in the bottom of the 10th, as Kosuke Fukudome hit a lead-off single against Franklin.

Tyler Colvin then reached on a fielder’s choice & stole 2nd base during Starlin Castro’s at-bat, who got hit by a pitch to put runners on 1st & 2nd for Derrek Lee.

Lee popped up to Albert Pujols in shallow right field, which left it up to Aramis Ramirez.

Ramirez reached on an error by Skip Schumaker, as the ball skipped off his glove to allow everyone to reach safely.

That loaded the bases for Marlon Byrd, who struck out looking to end the inning.

The Cardinals took their first lead of the night in the 11th, as Felipe Lopez hit a 2-out solo homer (6th of season) off Schlitter to give themselves a 4-3 lead.

The Cubs had a final chance to rally in the bottom of the 11th, as Xavier Nady hit a lead-off single against Cardinals reliever Kyle McClellan.

Geovany Soto then reached safely on a 1-out fielder’s choice, as pinch-runner Jeff Baker stole 2nd base during Ryan Theriot’s at-bat, who struck out swinging.

That brought up Kosuke Fukudome to face Cardinals reliever Denys Reyes, who struck out swinging to end the game.

Ryan Franklin (5-1) gets the win for St. Louis after pitching 2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, which included a bases-loaded strikeout of Marlon Byrd to send the game into extras.

Brian Schlitter (0-1) takes his first major league loss for Chicago after giving up Felipe Lopez’s go-ahead solo homer in the 11th inning.

Denys Reyes struck out Kosuke Fukudome as the potential game-winning run to earn his 1st save of the season.

The Cubs will travel to Texas to face the Houston Astros in a 3-game series beginning Monday evening at 7:05 PM cst from Minute Maid Park, as Carlos Silva (9-4, 3.86) goes up against Wesley Wright (0-0, 4.40).

Silva has lasted a combined 2 1/3 innings in his previous 2 starts (both losses), but overall has a solid ERA of 3.52 in 3 career starts at Minute Maid Park.

Wright will make his first start on Monday since losing to the Cubs on July 20th, as he allowed 6 runs on 6 hits in 4 2/3 innings during Houston’s 14-7 loss.

Currently suspended pitcher Carlos Zambrano is expected to re-join the team sometime during their current 7-game road trip per manager Lou Piniella before Sunday’s game.

Signing off for now,

Matt T for Cubshub.com