Rally in 8th lifts red-hot Cubs to win

CHICAGO — Kris Bryant galloped home from first base on Anthony Rizzo’s bloop double, capping a three-run rally in the eighth inning that sent the Cubs over the Cardinals 3-2 Saturday in the ever-tightening NL Central race.

The defending World Series champions have won seven of their eight games since the All-Star break.

A classic pitchers’ duel between Jon Lester and Adam Wainwright kept it scoreless into the eighth at Wrigley Field. The Cubs began the day one game behind the shaky Brewers for the division lead, with the Cardinals 3 back of first.

After Paul DeJong and Randal Grichuk hit two-out homers off Lester for a 2-0 lead, the Cubs came back.

Ben Zobrist’s RBI double with two out made it 2-1 and chased Wainwright. Bryant greeted reliever Matt Bowman (2-4) with a broken-bat single that tied it.

Brett Cecil then relieved and on a 3-2 pitch, Rizzo hit a looper to shallow left-center. Bryant ran hard and slid home feet first as catcher Yadier Molina couldn’t control center fielder Dexter Fowler’s one-hop throw.

Statcast showed Rizzo’s hit landed 252 feet from the plate — it was 270 feet from first to home for Bryant.

Bryant missed Friday’s loss to the Cardinals with a sprained pinkie, and Cubs manager Joe Maddon said after that game the reigning NL MVP was unlikely to play Saturday.

Lester (7-6) had a perfect game until Wainwright singled with two out in the sixth. Lester gave up three hits and struck out 10 in eight innings.

Wade Davis issued a pair of two-out walks in the ninth before fanning Molina for his 19th saves in 19 chances.