CHICAGO — Shortstop Jhonny Peralta’s two-run homer in the ninth inning lifted the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.
The victory salvaged a 2-2 series split for the Cardinals (55-30) and snapped a two-game winning streak for the Cubs (46-38).
Peralta lined a 1-2 pitch off reliever Pedro Strop into the left field basket for his 12th homer of the year. Pinch-runner Pete Kozma scored ahead of Peralta.
Strop missed the chance for his third save and instead fell to 1-4. He walked one and gave up a homer in his lone inning.
Cardinals right-handed reliever Miguel Socolovich (3-1) worked two-thirds of an inning and picked up the win. Right-handed reliever Trevor Rosenthal allowed one hit but no runs in the ninth for his 25th save.
Cardinal starter Michael Wacha worked through six innings and ended with a no-decision.
The Cubs entered the ninth with a 5-4 lead thanks to catcher Miguel Montero’s bases-clearing double in the sixth. He erased a 4-2 deficit with one swing when he lined a 3-2 pitch to deep right center.
Wacha struck out shortstop Starlin Castro for the second out in the inning and quickly got an 0-2 count on Montero. But he took three straight balls and fouled off another pitch before his double scored center fielder Dexter Fowler, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and right fielder Jorge Soler.
After Montero’s big hit, Cardinals manger Mike Matheny and catcher Yadier Molina were ejected for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Pat Hoberg.
Wacha departed after the sixth. He gave up five runs, seven hits and one walk with six strikeouts in six innings. He also was 2-for-3 at the plate.
Cubs starter Jason Hammel departed after one inning with left hamstring tightness, replaced by left-hander Clayton Richard, making his first appearance of the season.
Hammel faced three batters and had one strikeout in his lone inning.
The Cardinals scored two runs in the second as first baseman Dan Johnson had an RBI single in his St. Louis debut to drive in catcher Yadier Molina. Wacha then helped his cause with a two-out base hit that scored left fielder Randal Grichuk.
First baseman Mark Reynolds led off the fourth with a triple to right center and Grichuk followed with one to virtually the same spot on a 1-2 count to drive in Reynolds for a 3-0 lead. Johnson then dribbled a single into center to bring home Grichuk to make it 4-0.
Wacha then singled to right for the fourth straight hit with none out, but Richard got three of the next four batters to ground out, including second baseman Matt Carpenter’s fielder’s choice to first that resulted into a throw to the plate to tag Johnson.
The Cubs replied with two runs in bottom of the inning when Rizzo singled and scored on third baseman Kris Bryant’s triple to right center with none out. With one out, Castro beat out an infield single to bring home Bryant.
Richard was replaced by left-hander Travis Wood to open the fifth. Richard allowed four runs, seven hits and three walks with one strikeout.
NOTES: The Cardinals called up 1B Dan Johnson from Triple-A Memphis, where he was hitting .265 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs in 61 games. LHP Tyler Lyons and RHP Marcus Hatley were optioned to Memphis. Lyons served as 26th man for Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Cubs. … St. Louis sends RHP Carlos Martinez (9-3, 2.70 ERA) against Pirates LHP Jeff Locke (5-4, 4.15) in Thursday’s opener of a four-game series at Pittsburgh. … 2B Anthony Rizzo and 3B Kris Bryant will represent the Cubs in the Home Run Derby next week, part of All-Star Game festivities in Cincinnati. Both are also on the National League All-Star team. … The Cubs have Thursday off before opening a three-game interleague series at Wrigley Field against the Chicago White Sox. Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-4, 3.82) will oppose White Sox LHP Carlos Rodon (3-2, 4.18).