Wainwright outduels Sheets in 4-3 victory

ST. LOUIS -- For eight innings, Adam Wainwright was in total command. The ninth was an adventure for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Wainwright limited Oakland to an unearned run and left with a three-run lead, but Jason Motte had to rescue closer Ryan Franklin with a key strikeout that preserved a 4-3 victory over the Athletics.

Franklin started the ninth but left after Ryan Sweeney's RBI single got the A's within two. Motte struck out Kevin Kouzmanoff and got Mark Ellis to fly out before Gabe Gross singled in a run.

With runners on first and second, Adam Rosales swung and missed for strike three, giving Motte his second save in two opportunities.

"Nobody's perfect," Franklin said. "I just didn't have my stuff."

Matt Holliday homered and drove in three runs for the second straight day for St. Louis, which has won four of five and will go for a three-game sweep today. Skip Schumaker had two hits for a two-game total of five, and Albert Pujols drew his major league-leading 20th intentional walk in the fifth.

Wainwright (10-4) gave up five hits for his 22nd consecutive quality start at home, three more than any other pitcher in major league history. He is 7-0 with a 1.64 ERA at Busch Stadium this season, averaging nearly eight innings in seven starts. He lowered his overall ERA to 2.23.

Ben Sheets (2-7) pitched seven innings, matching a season high, and allowed four runs and six hits, falling to 6-15 with a 4.09 ERA against St. Louis during his career.