Wong’s home run in 10th lifts Cardinals past Cubs

For the St. Louis Cardinals, there’s more importance to their early-season games with the Chicago Cubs this year than most seasons.

The games are about St. Louis putting to rest any leftover doubts after a dismal 5-14 record against its rival a year ago.

The host Cardinals showed on Saturday they aren’t about to just lie down and let the Cubs cruise to a third straight National League Central title. Kolten Wong hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning to cap an 8-6 win, one which had all the back-and-forth of a postseason affair rather than an early May contest.

Wong’s game-ending blast put the finishing touch on a game in which St. Louis trailed 4-0 after one inning and by two runs entering the bottom of the ninth. Both times the Cardinals recovered on their way to a fourth straight win, along with winning for the third time in four games against Chicago this season.

“I’ve never (played) in the World Series or those kinds of games,” St. Louis outfielder Marcell Ozuna said. “This feels like more than a regular game.” PADRES 7, DODGERS 4 >> San Diego rebounded nicely from Los Angeles’ combined no-hitter, using two-run homers by Eric Hosmer and Raffy Lopez to beat the Dodgers in the first major league series in Mexico since 1999. Travis Jankowski led off the first with a triple for San Diego’s first hit of the series. Hosmer then hit a drive over the wall in right against Kenta Maeda. Lopez’s first homer of the season erased a 4-3 Los Angeles lead in the sixth.

RED SOX 6, RANGERS 5 >> Craig Kimbrel became the quickest pitcher to reach 300 career saves, closing out a win by Boston after it rallied and got the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning at Texas. Kimbrel worked a perfect ninth for his ninth save this season.