Cardinals edge Dodgers 3-2 on Holliday’s sac fly

LOS ANGELES — Matt Holliday’s sacrifice fly snapped a ninth-inning tie, giving the St. Louis Cardinals a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night in the series finale between two first-place teams.

The Cardinals took two out of three from the Dodgers to maintain their NL Central lead of 5½ games over the Chicago Cubs, who beat San Diego and open a four-game series in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The loss reduced the Dodgers’ lead in the NL West to 3½ games over Colorado, their smallest margin since May 1.

Kyle McClellan (4-2) got the victory with one hitless inning, while striking out one and walking one. Ryan Franklin pitched the ninth for his 31st save in 33 chances.

Jonathan Broxton (7-1) took the loss, allowing one run in the ninth. He gave up a leadoff walk to Albert Pujols, who stole second and continued to third on catcher Russell Martin’s throwing error. Holliday then flied out to center to score Pujols.

The Dodgers had the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth when James Loney flied out to left to end the game.

St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright was unhittable through five innings. Things fell apart when he gave up home runs to Andre Ethier and Casey Blake in the seventh.

Wainwright was perfect through four innings with two strikeouts. He walked Manny Ramirez to lead off the fifth, giving the Dodgers their first base runner of the game. Wainwright struck out Blake before Loney hit into an inning-ending double play.

The right-hander yielded his first hit in the sixth, a one-out single to Orlando Hudson.

Wainwright ran into trouble in the seventh, falling behind 1-2 in the count to Ethier before giving up the one-out homer. Ramirez flied out to right before Blake sent a 2-2 pitch into the left field pavilion to tie the game at 2.

Wainwright allowed two runs on four hits, struck out three and walked one in seven innings.

Los Angeles starter Clayton Kershaw gave up two runs and five hits in 3 2-3 innings, struck out five and walked four.

NOTES: Kemp went 0 for 4 on his bobblehead night. … RHP John Smoltz is expected to join the Cardinals on Thursday in San Diego after the free agent signed with them Wednesday. … Free agent RHP Vicente Padilla signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers on Wednesday and will start at Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday.