Chicago Cubs starter Randy Wells throws during the first inning of an interleague baseball game against the New York Yankees on Sunday. (AP)
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Randy Wells just couldn’t close this one out.
Leading 2-1 in the seventh, Wells gave up a game-tying homer to Yadier Molina. The following inning, Furcal homered off Wells (7-6) to send the Cardinals to victory.
Octavio Dotel (5-3) retired two batters in the eighth, and Jason Motte pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 13 chances.
Making what might have been his final home appearance for the Cardinals, Albert Pujols went 0 for 4 and stopped his streak of reaching base in 40 successive games. The three-time NL MVP, who is eligible for free agency, received a 45-second standing ovation during his first at-bat. He stepped out of the batter’s box and tipped his helmet.
Cardinals starter Edwin Jackson allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings. Wells, who grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Belleville, Ill., gave up three runs in eight innings.
Geovany Soto’s sacrifice fly put the Cubs ahead in the fourth, but Jackson’s sacrifice fly tied it in the fifth.
NOTES: In the event of a tie, St. Louis would host a tiebreaker game Thursday because the Cardinals beat the Braves 2-1 in the season series. … The Cardinals’ Jaime Garcia (13-7, 3.45) will face Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez (11-11, 3.51) on Monday. … The Cubs’ Starlin Castro leads the NL with 203 hits. He has reached safely in a career-high 37 consecutive games. … St. Louis passed the 3 million mark in home attendance for the eighth successive season and, barring a tiebreaker, finished at 3,093,954, including 41,469 on Sunday
