Cardinals surrender three-run lead in sixth inning, fall 9-7 to Diamondbacks

PHOENIX — Pinch-hitter Paul Goldschmidt grounded into a game-ending double play with two runners on the base and the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals fell short in a ninth-inning rally, losing to the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-7 Wednesday.

The Cardinals began the day with a 2 ½-game lead over Milwaukee in the division. By the end of the game, the Brewers held a big, early lead at Milwaukee.

St. Louis and Arizona were back on the field about 11 hours after the Diamondbacks’ 3-2 win in 19 innings, a game that took nearly seven hours. Cardinals starter Michael Wacha was pulled in the second inning with tightness in his right shoulder.

Errors by rookie infielders Tommy Edman and Edmundo Sosa helped Arizona score seven times in the sixth for a 9-5 lead. Wilmer Flores homered during the burst, which also included a run-scoring wild pitch.

The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out in the ninth and Matt Wieters hit a two-run single. Goldschmidt was up next — he had homered in the first two games of the series, marking his return to the desert after the Diamondbacks traded their longtime star to St. Louis in the offseason.

Facing former teammate Archie Bradley, Goldschmidt hit a grounder and Arizona turned two to end it. Bradley got his 17th save.

Merrill Kelly (13-14) exited trailing 5-2 after six innings and wound up with the win.

Reliever Junior Fernandez (0-1) took the loss.