Phillies hold off Cardinals, 13-11

ST. LOUIS -- An 11-run lead almost wasn’t enough for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Aaron Rowand prevented the tying and go-ahead runs from scoring with a tumbling catch on the warning track that ended the eighth inning, and the Phillies narrowly avoided a monumental collapse when they held on for a 13-11 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. Philadelphia moved within 2 1/2 games of New York in the National League East with its fifth win a row.

Ryan Howard hit a grand slam and a solo homer for the Phillies, who led, 11-0, in the sixth inning and were clinging to a 12-11 lead when Rowand hauled in Ryan Ludwick’s drive with two on in the eighth. Rowand then homered in the ninth, and Francisco Rosario threw a called third strike past Russell Branyan with two on and two out to earn his first save.

The Cardinals scored three runs in the sixth, six in the seventh and two in the eighth.