Wong's hr has Cards one win from LCS

With their pitching staff faltering late in a game yet again, the Los Angeles Dodgers are a loss away from 

Kolten Wong hit a tie-breaking, two-run home run off Scott Elbert in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-1 victory in game three of the National League Division Series at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis leads the best-of-5 series 2-games-to-1 with game four coming Tuesday, thanks in large part to the inability of the Los Angeles bullpen to keep the ball in the ballpark in the late innings.

In a 1-1 game, Elbert relieved an effective Hyun-Jin Ryu (6 IP, 1 ER) and gave up a double to Yadier Molina to start the seventh. After a sacrifice, Wong deposited the first pitch he saw into the St. Louis bullpen in right-center field to put the NL Central champions up 3-1.

“Just trying to see something that I knew I could drive,” Wong said of his first career postseason home run. “Unbelievable. I’m just excited to be here right now.”

Clayton Kershaw was cruising in the series opener before unraveling in the top of the seventh and allowing a go-ahead, three-run double to Matt Carpenter. Pedro Baez then served up a three-run home run to Matt Holliday. In game two, the Dodgers were up 2-0 after seven shutout innings from Zack Greinke, but J.P. Howell allowed a tying, two-run home run to Carpenter. Though the Dodgers would go on to win the second game on Matt Kemp’s solo shot in the bottom of the eighth, they weren’t as lucky Monday.

The Dodgers tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the sixth when Yasiel Puig had a lead off triple and three batters later came around to score on a double by Hanley Ramirez. Those were the only two mistakes winning pitcher John Lackey made as the right-hander, making his first postseason start for the Cardinals tossed seven innings of five-hit ball.

St. Louis grabbed a 1-0 lead when Carpenter launched a solo home run leading off the third, his third home run in as many Division Series games after homering just once in 26 previous playoff games.

“I was able to hit it well and it went over the fence,” said Carpenter. “I’ve been able to see the ball pretty well and (have been) taking some good swings.” 

Ryu settled down after Carpenter’s long ball, retiring 12 of the last 13 batters he faced. Ryu has pitched well in both of his postseason starts against St. Louis, which includes seven shutout innings in a game three victory in last season’s NLCS.

Howell had a nice comeback outing in Monday’s eighth inning. After Brian Wilson put two runners on, Howell relieved and though he allowed John Jay’s single to load the bases, while falling down the southpaw made a no-look stab of a come backer by Wong, fired home for the second out and catcher A.J. Ellis threw to first to complete the double play and keep it a two-run game.

The Dodgers brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth against Trevor Rosenthal - Ramirez had his third hit as part of the rally - but Ellis flied out softly to right to end the game.