CHICAGO - The Cubs-Cardinals rivalry just became even more intense.

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he was "really disappointed" with the St. Louis Cardinals after reliever Matt Belisle hit Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo with a pitch in the seventh inning of Chicago's 8-3 rout on Friday.

Both teams were warned after Cubs starter Dan Haren hit pinch hitter Matt Holliday in the helmet with a pitch in the fifth inning that Haren said was an "accident." Holliday was replaced by a pinch runner.

Belisle's pitch in the seventh sailed behind Rizzo's legs, and Rizzo walked toward the mound. Belisle and Cardinals manager Mike Matheny were ejected.

"We did not hit their guy on purpose at all," Maddon said. "That was an absolute mistake. There's no malicious intent whatsoever on Dan Haren's part. None. So, to become this vigilante group that all of a sudden wants to get their own pound of flesh, that's absolutely insane and ridiculous and wrong. Furthermore, we don't start stuff, but we will stop stuff. We will end stuff."

Belisle said he was trying to pitch inside.

"It's part of my game," he said. "It's part of me being successful up here."

Haren said he was trying to pitch Holliday inside when he hit him, but the pitch got away. Haren said the Cardinals bench responded by yelling at him. A former Cardinal, Haren said he apologized to Rizzo if he later got hit for retaliation.

"I feel bad. I hope he's OK," Haren said about Holliday.

Beyond the tiff, the series carries playoff significance. The Cubs entered the day two games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates for the first wild-card spot and seven behind St. Louis for the National League Central lead. The Cardinals needed a win and the San Francisco Giants to lose to clinch a playoff berth Friday.

Cubs second baseman Starlin Castro hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the fifth and added a three-run shot in the sixth to give him 10 homers.

Maddon said he's been impressed with Castro's attitude since he was demoted from being the everyday shortstop on Aug. 7.

"I just try to be here with my mind that I play that day," Castro said. "Even if I don't start, I think I'm going to be in the game in the seventh, something like that, just try to keep positive. I don't want to be the negative guy on the team."

Cardinals pitchers walked a season-high 11 batters. Starting

right-hander Lance Lynn allowed three runs and six walks - one intentional -- in 3 1/3 innings. He expressed displeasure with home-plate umpire Dan Bellino as he exited.

"We disagreed," Lynn said. "The low call wasn't my way. The high call wasn't my way. The low call was his way. The high call was his way, so it was tough."

Haren gave up three runs -- one earned -- in 4 1/3 innings.

Rizzo ignited the Cubs scoring with an RBI single in their three-run first. Third baseman Tommy La Stella followed with an RBI double and Castro hit an RBI single.

The Cardinals pulled to within one run in the second. Left fielder Stephen Piscotty reached on a Rizzo error, and second baseman Kolten Wong drove him in with a triple. Wong scored on catcher Tony Cruz's groundout.

St. Louis tied the game in the fifth. Haren allowed a double before he hit Holliday. Zach Rosscup entered and walked two batters to force in the tying run. Tommy Hunter replaced Rosscup and got shortstop Jhonny Peralta to fly out to leave the bases loaded.

"We did have some pretty good at-bats, but they don't always wind up as hits," Matheny said.

NOTES: Cardinals OF Matt Holliday was hit by a pitch in the back part of his helmet when he pinch hit in the fifth against Dan Haren. It was Holliday's second at-bat since he came off the disabled list for a quadriceps injury. He was replaced by a pinch runner. "The doctors took a look and they just saw a bruise," manager Mike Matheny said. ... 3B/LF Kris Bryant was out of Chicago's lineup on Friday for a day of rest. He grounded out as a pinch hitter in the sixth. ... Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he had yet to decide on Saturday's starting pitcher against the Cardinals, who are expected to start RHP Michael Wacha. Chicago candidates include LHPs Clayton Richard and Travis Wood, and RHPs Trevor Cahill and Carl Edwards Jr. ... Cardinals C Yadier Molina was out of the lineup for the second straight game for rest. He went 0-for-9 with six strikeouts in two games against the Brewers. C Tony Cruz got the start for the second straight game. ... Maddon said the Cubs send their well wishes to Pittsburgh Pirates INF Jung Ho Kang, who will miss the rest of the season after he was injured on a takeout slide by Cubs INF/OF Chris Coghlan on Thursday. Maddon didn't consider the slide a dirty play. Kang underwent surgery for a fractured tibia and torn meniscus.